The Sarasota County
School Board will start
digging into its budget
for the 2013-14 school
year this month.
Members have been
thinking about where
they can make cuts to an
already lean budget.
The Sarasota County
School District has an

unassigned fund balance
of more than $52 million,
or almost 15 percent of its
budget. District expen-
ditures for the 2010-11
fiscal year total more than
$370 million. While this
means the district has
been a good steward of
its money, that number
could change.
During a recent work-
shop, the board addressed
the possibility it will need

to use some of those funds
over the next few years,
which would deplete the
reserve account.
"There is a danger it
could drop," Deputy
Chief Financial Officer
AlWeidner said. "This
year that we're in,
we're basically look-
ing to spend down the
reserve to something
like 10 percent, then the
following year, (down

to) closer to 7.5 percent.
Basically, what they were
saying was, we can use
(the) reserve for this year
and next year, but in
(20) 14-(20)15, we'll have
the reserve down to (a)
minimum level."
Weidner said in
November that in order
to have a fund balance of
7.5 percent, there would
need to be a budget re-
duction of $1.49 million,

or an increase in revenue
by that amount.
Presented with an
updated budget meeting
calendar last week several
board members expressed
anxiety about the possibil-
ity of continuing to use
those reserve funds.
"I'm really concerned
about where we're
heading (and) using the
unassigned fund balance,"
said board member Frank

Kovach. "I don't think
things are going to get bet-
ter ... (and) we don't even
talk about what we will do
when the reserves run out,
or when they will run out.
I think we need a plan.
"We're still using
$12 million in reserves
a year, and I think the
time has come where we
need to look where we're

BOARD17

Resolutions go high-tech

By MERAB-MICHAL FAVORITE
STAFF WRITER

For many, New Year's Day
marks a dawning of person-
al renewal and resolutions.
While 45 percent of
Americans annually make
resolutions, only about
8 percent actually keep
them, according to a study
by the Journal of Clinical
Psychology at the University
of Scranton.
Quitting smoking is near
the top of the list for a lot
of people. However, Time
magazine names smoking
as the second most-broken
resolution, topped only by
fitness pledges. It estimates
only 15 percent of people
who try to quit manage
to stay cigarette-free six
months later, but some local
retailers claim to have solu-
tions to that problem.
"Quitting smoking,
especially cold turkey, is
hard on the body," said Jan
Hall, owner of A Better Way
Wellness Center. "Smoking
tricks the brain into think-
ing the body is releasing
endorphins. So when you
quit, there is a big drop in
endorphins and people
can easily get depressed -
which leads to the urge to
start smoking again."
While there are dozens of
products available to help
folks quit what the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention dubbed "the
most preventable case of

SUN PHOTO BY MERAB-MICHAL FAVORITE
Laura Miller puffs an e-cigarette in a local electronic smoke shop.

disease, disability and death
in the U.S.," Hall says only a
few of those actually work.
She offers a three-step
"quit-smoking session" that
starts with counseling.
"First, I want to make
sure they are ready to quit,
because if they aren't, then
it won't work," Hall said.
Hall then hypnotizes
her customers and advises
them to quit while they are
under. After they re-enter
consciousness, she ap-
plies acu-lasers to about
30 pressure points on the
face, hands and wrists,
with the aim of relieving

withdrawal symptoms and
preventing cravings. She
claims it takes only one
session for smokers to be
cured.
"After having the laser
treatment, I never wanted
another cigarette," said
Brenda Hubertus, who
smoked for more than
14 years. "After I stopped
smoking, I immediately felt
better, had more energy and
I could breathe better."
Another way quitters can
help with withdrawal is to
get their body detoxified.
Slender Yourself Salon
offers body wraps soaked in

mineral oils that it claims
will detoxify the skin and
drain out all the pollutants
associated with smoking.
After the body is wrapped
entirely, clients engage in a
light exercise and sweat out
the contaminants.
"Nine times out of 10 you
will sleep better and feel
better after the detox," said
Tricia Manganelli, a licensed
body-wrap technician.
Other people are hoping
to get healthy, but don't
necessarily want to quit
smoking.

HIGH-TECH 17

Thaxton hits ground running in new role

By SCOTT LOCKWOOD
STAFF WRITER
Former Sarasota County
commissioner Jon Thaxton
has been very happy in his
new job as the Gulf Coast
Community Foundation's
director of community
investment, but he said it's
been like "jumping on a
treadmill going at an incred-
ibly rapid pace."
"The transition was a
little more difficult than I
anticipated," said Thaxton,
whose 12-year run as a
county commissioner came
to an end in November.
"The skill set needed to be
effective here is in some

parts similar and in
some areas not similar to
what I had been previously
accustomed to
doing.
"I've kind of
had to reinvent
myself to be
effective work-
ing in the same
issues with the
THAXTON same people
that I had
been previously. It's been
challenging ... but I've really
enjoyed it."
Thaxton unexpectedly
found himself looking for
employment after losing
the county Supervisor of

Elections race to longtime
incumbent Kathy Dent by a
nearly 3-to-1 margin in the
Aug. 14 primary. Last May, a
state Supreme Court ruling
on term limits prevented
him from seeking a fourth
term on the county com-
mission, where he'd held
the District 5 seat since
2000.
At GCCF, Thaxton works
to manage and execute the
foundation's grant-making
programs and community
initiatives. He works with
nonprofit organizations that
are seeking funding or to
partner with the foundation
on a project. Thaxton also

strives to identify commu-
nity needs that some of the
foundation's donors might
be interested in supporting.
The first major project
Thaxton has been tasked
with by GCCF is its
Community Hunger and
Nutrition initiative. One
of the foundation's top
initiatives for 2013, it's a
research survey in which
the foundation is partnering
with All Faiths Food Bank
to participate in a national
hunger assessment study
with Feeding America.
Thaxton said the survey is
being conducted by food
THAXTON17

Pillar

of the

Community

By PAM JOHNSON
CITY OF VENICE,
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
Gina Taylor received the Mayor's Pillar
of the Community Award at a recent city
council meeting.
Taylor, a 22-year area resident, was
recognized for her vast impact on the
lives of children in the community.
From PTA president to school board
member; from Big Brothers/Big Sisters
volunteer to schoolroom mentor. In fact,
Taylor implemented the mentoring pro-
gram at Venice High School in which an
adult volunteer is matched with a ninth
grade student, whom they continue to
mentor throughout the high school years.
Taylor served as chairwoman of the
Make-A-Wish Advisory Board, the Bertha
Palmer Birthday celebrations for children
at Historic Spanish Point, Boys and Girls
Club Advisory Board, Child Development
Center for Child and Family Development,
and Sarasota County School Board.
She has been a member of more than
20 boards in about as many years.
She currently serves Big Brothers/Big
Sisters of the Sun Coast as vice president
of communications and marketing.
Taylor says she is gratified that many of the
25 children she has mentored stay in touch
and occasionally still ask her for advice.
"My passion and enjoyment comes
from spending time with our youth and
the reward of seeing firsthand the im-
pact one person can make on the life of
another," Taylor said.
Fittingly she reminds us, "don't under-
estimate the power of one individual."

COURTESY PHOTO
Gina Taylor accepts the Mayor's Pillar of the
Community Award.

Scholarship
applications being
accepted
Gulf Coast Community
Foundation's 2013-14 scholar-
ship application is now avail-
able online at GulfCoastC.org.
The deadline for submitting a
completed scholarship applica-
tion is March 6, at 4 p.m.
Gulf Coast offers scholarship
opportunities for local students
of all ages who will be pursuing
higher education in 2013-14.
Applicants must be residents
of Sarasota County, Charlotte
County or Boca Grande, and
must be accepted to or attend-
ing an accredited postsecondary
vocational school, college or
university, or graduate institu-
tion. Scholarships are awarded
from more than 50 scholarship
funds administered by the
foundation.
Students must complete the
entire scholarship application
online. Applicants need to
submit only one application to
be considered for all Gulf Coast
scholarship opportunities for
which they are eligible.
Eligibility requirements,
answers to frequently asked

ABC 7 WEATHER

questions and a sample ap-
plication can be found on
the foundation's website.
Information is also available via
Gulf Coast's scholarship hotline
at 941-486-4607.
Community service or other
leadership development is one
of the qualifications considered
for Gulf Coast scholarships,
and many other academic
scholarships require students
to demonstrate volunteer
service. Students seeking
local volunteer opportuni-
ties can find many listed on
YoudBePerfectForThis.org, a
volunteer-matching website
managed by the foundation.
Last year, Gulf Coast awarded
316 scholarships totaling more
than $394,000 to help open
the door to the future for local
students. Since 1997, the foun-
dation has invested more than
$4.7 million in the education of
deserving students through its
scholarship program.

Conservation
Foundation announces
new board
Conservation Foundation of
the Gulf Coast has announced

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Citing he made
mistakes in calculat-
ing impact fees, Clarke
Davis, the longtime
Sarasota County trans-
portation director, has
resigned. His last day is
Jan. 25.
Davis, who was about
to be disciplined by
County Administrator
Randall Reid, sent an
email Dec. 19 explain-
ing the mistakes he
found in calculating
impact fees that de-
velopers would pay for
road improvements
next year.
"On Dec. 16 ... I found
an error in one of the
tables," he wrote. "The
base formulas in the
methodology are sound,
and the data appear to
have been properly col-
lected and were current
at the time of collection.
However, the data have
been misapplied in at
least one instance."
The impact fees,
which were reduced by
county commissioners
a few years ago after
the economic downturn
hit, are supposed to be
updated annually. The
wrong rates recently
were advertised and
sent out countywide.
Those rates were to
be discussed at a
public hearing Jan. 16.
Instead, Davis recently

suggested commission-
ers meet, but extend
the current impact-fee
rates which are set to
expire Jan. 30 until
June 30.
Frustrated with
mistakes and delays,
Sarasota County
Commissioner Joe
Barbetta called the
23-month ongoing
situation "totally
unacceptable."
"Board direction was
clearly given (nearly
two years ago) to review
and update impact
fees," Barbetta wrote in
a Dec. 21 email to Reid.
"Additional meetings
since then clearly
referenced this direc-
tion and staff was fully
aware of the upcoming
expiration of the current
fee schedule. ... Florida
Statutes clearly require
that our impact fees be
based on current, local
data, so staff should
have been doing this all
along.
"The excuses made
by staff do not merit
consideration, and a
'short-term' fix clearly
does not address the
issue of market cer-
tainty and statutory
compliance."
Reid questioned Davis
on Dec. 16 about the
mistakes.
"Clarke's explanation
was painful, yet truthful,
but his verbal responses
to the questions were

nonspecific, confusing
and he had timelines for
impact-fee work starting
in May of 2012, instead
of when the assignment
had been given in prior
impact-fee discussions,"
Reid wrote in a Dec. 21
email to commissioners.
"Clarke couldn't answer
several direct questions
after he made personal
assurances to me and
the commission of the
accuracy of the infor-
mation presented at the
meeting."
Reid said he offered to
have a former Alachua
County impact-fee coor-
dinator do a peer review
for Davis, as he ap-
peared to be struggling
with or procrastinating
on assignments. Reid is
a former administrator
for that county.
Davis said delays
in the process were
created by the procure-
ment and purchasing
crisis two years ago.
"During this time and
under the prior ad-
ministration, I was not
allowed to bring road
impact-fee discussions
to the county commis-
sion," Davis wrote in his
email. "While I do not
recall being specifically
denied an opportunity
to initiate an update,
it was indicated that
strategic initiatives and
changes to (the) organi-
zational structure would
be deferred to the new

administration."
Reid said Davis
"accepted sole respon-
sibility, as he had not
reviewed the work
prior to his presentation
thoroughly enough,

and that there would be
consequences."
Davis, who resigned
the night of Dec. 21,
has been working with
other departments to
finish projects and help

transition out of his
position. He has been
with the county since
1991, and made $97,400
annually.

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something is defi-
nitely wrong when
innocent folks
continue to fall victim to
those friendly individuals
who appear at your front
door offering products
and services at prices too
good to be true.
Every year, the Better
Business Bureau receives
complaints from large
numbers of consumers
who are victims of scam
deals offered at their
front door.
Some of the fraudsters
make money off selling
home-alarm systems,
home improvement
deals at very low prices,
phony magazine sales
and sales of meat that
can be tainted and
injurious to your health.
In most cases these
door-to-door confidence
operators are young

By ELAINE ALLEN-EMRICH
STAFF WRITER
If deputies hadn't or-
dered a drunken man off
the beach, one Sarasota
family believes their loved
one would be alive today.
The family of Donna
Chen, 53, has filed a law-
suit against the Sarasota
County Sheriff's Office
for negligent actions in
her death, according to
the Mallard Law Firm of
Sarasota.
On Jan. 7, Chen was
jogging on the side of
the road on Siesta Key
near her home when she
reportedly was hit by a
drunken driver, Blake
Talman, 23, and dragged
to her death. Talman,
along with two others,
had been confronted by
deputies earlier while
drinking on the beach.
The deputies allegedly
instructed the men to "go
home or go to jail."
"We believe the actions
of the deputies were
negligent and careless by
directing these gentlemen
to drive home under the
influence, and, unfortu-
nately, at the cost of my
client's life," said Damian
Mallard, lead attorney on
the case.
The Mallard Law Firm
is seeking $200,000 in
damages, the highest
amount possible in a
government-related
lawsuit. The law firm can
collect only 25 percent in
fees.
"This is by no means
about money," Mallard
said. "Mrs. Chen's hus-
band is a physician. He
doesn't need the money.
The family wants the
sheriff's office to change
the way they handle
intoxicated people at
the beach. Drinking is
allowed at that beach.
Deputies are creating
a public-safety risk by
telling (drunken) people
to leave without knowing
their means of travel.
Deputies should be say-
ing, 'Take a cab, walk or
get a friend to take you
home."'
According to the suit,
the deputies created a
"zone of risk of injury"
by directing an obviously
intoxicated Talman, who
was holding car keys,
to leave the beach or be
arrested. In addition,
Talman reportedly failed
to stop at an intersection,
hit another car driven by
an 18-year-old woman
who sustained minor
injuries and was fleeing
the scene of that accident
when he lost control of
his vehicle and struck
Chen, killing her.
After the collision,
Talman's car also struck
landscaping, a street
sign and several wooden

I

and well groom
offer great deals
presentations. V
are not aware o
high-pressure s
tics that almost
lead to losing n
receiving shoddy
no work or no p
delivery.
According to
Better Business
the times before
after the Christ
holiday season
to bring an eag
of door knocke

all trades. They may
indicate that they have
Crime unsold merchandise left
Scene over from the Christmas
season and will sell at
well below normal cost.
Ken The BBB issues guide-
Kleinlein lines for consumers
to beware of common
scams like these:
The handyman scam
ed and they collect money up
s in their front and you never see
Victims them again, or the work
f the is dramatically inferior
ales tac- and more expensive
always than originally quoted.
loney or The home-alarm
ly work, fraud one way to avoid
productt this is to deal with nation-
ally known companies.
the Phony magazine
Bureau, sales after paying you
*e and probably will never see a

mas
are sure
er group
rs from

magazine.
What to watch out for:
Beware of high-
pressure sales tactics.

poles at the entrance of
St. Michael's Archangel
Catholic Church, as well
as a telephone pole,
before coming to a stop.
Chen's dog, Barney,
who was running with
her, also was struck and
ran away from the scene.
The injured Hungarian
vizsla later was found
swimming a half-mile
offshore by a kayaker,
who pulled him out of the
water.
Talman and a 24-year-
old male passenger both
were injured and taken
to Sarasota Memorial
Hospital. Talman later
was arrested on charges
of vehicular homicide,
four counts of DUI with

property damage and
leaving the scene of
an accident. Freed on
$118,000 bond, his next
court date is Jan. 8.
The lawsuit is about
"holding the sheriff's (of-
fice) accountable for (its)
actions," Mallard said,
adding that the family
"wants to ensure these
types of tragic and avoid-
able incidents do not
happen again." Mallard
said the entire incident
was mishandled.
According to SCSO
spokeswoman Susan
Erwin, the court docu-
ments haven't arrived yet.
The sheriff's office does
not comment on pending
litigation.

Avoid allowing
unsolicited salespeople
into your home.
Always check out
the company the door-
to-door salesperson is
representing.
Kick out anyone
making exaggerated or
empty promises.
Never give cash.
File a complaint with
your Better Business
Bureau at bbb.org. If you
are defrauded, contact
your local law enforce-
ment authority.

Ken Kleinlein, a former
NYPD special frauds
detective, works with the
Sarasota and Charlotte
County sheriffs and other
law enforcement on mat-
ters of crime prevention
and public information.
Email him at at kaline27@
comcast.net.

"As of today, we have
not been served with a
suit," she said. "We are
aware of a potential suit
by the presuit filing letter
we received."
Mallard said the
$200,000 can't bring back
Donna Chen.
"Two hundred thou-
sand isn't a good trade
for a life," he said, "but
it sends a message to
the sheriff's office of the
much-needed changes in
the process of handling
beach complaints."
Email: eallen@sun-herald.com

B

Beware of door-to-door sales

I OBITUARIES
Duane Edward
Elliott
Duane Edward Elliott,
89, of Venice died
Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012.
He was born
Sin Owasso,
:', -;. Mich., on
July 16, 1923,
to the late
Samuel and Claribel
Elliott. Duane gradu-
ated from Cheboygan
High School and went
on to receive his degree
in Engineering from
Michigan College of
Mining and Technology.
He served his country in
Italy as a Lieutenant in
the Army during WWII.
Duane moved to Venice,
in 1981 after retiring
from Metal Lubricants
Co., Chicago, Ill., and the
Homewood Flossmoor
Tennis Club where he
was the Club pro and
manager.
His love of tennis led
Duane back to the game
and to Jacaranda West
Tennis Club where he was
club pro until he retired
in 1990.
Duane is survived
by his wife of 67 years,
Margaret Eileen (Clune);
four children: Barbara
(DJ) Stetzel of Venice,
James (Colleen) Elliott of
Sparta, N.J., Robert (Judy)
Elliott of San Diego, Calif.,
and Thomas (Christine)
Elliott of North Port. He
is also survived by five
grandchildren and five
great-grandchildren; and
sister Jacqueline Elliott
Koch of Venice.
Services: A private fam-
ily gathering is planned
to honor the memory
of a wonderful husband
and father. Ewing Funeral
Home in charge of
arrangements.

Charles
was born in
Micanopy,
Fla., on
Feb. 14,
1930. He
grew up in
Venice and
graduated
fromVenice High School.
Charles attended the
University of Florida, and
was a Gator sports fan.
He was a longtime
banker, and a founder and
CEO of the Cresent Bank
Corporation in Jasper, Ga.,
in the 1980s and1990s.
Charles was an active
member of the Lions
Club and the Venice Old
Timers. Charles was an
honorable and kind man;
greatly loved by his wife,
family and friends.
He will belovingly
remembered by wife Fern;
son Terry (Brenda) Wynne;
grandchildren John and
Catherine Wynne and
Angela Bledsoe; step-
daughters Kristi Nelson
of Bradenton and Kathy
Nelson of Port Charlotte;
great -grandchildren Alex,
Kano, Elizabeth and Cole.
Local friends Gerald Greene
and Patrick Chernesky.
We thank the Lord
Jesus for blessing us with
Charles for many years.

OBITUARY POLICY
Obituaries are accepted from funeral
homes and crematories only.
There is no charge for publishing
an abbreviated death notice once.
Full obituaries, notices of services
and repeat death notices will be
subject to charges. Obituaries
should be emailed to Ikennedy@
venicegondolier.com and must
include a phone number. For more
information, call 941-207-1110.

A Venice man was
hospitalized in serious
condition Saturday
afternoon after being
hit by an automobile
entering a McDonald's
restaurant.
According to a
Florida Highway Patrol
press release, Andres
Delong, 21, ran across
the driveway access
on the South Tamiami
Trail McDonald's
entrance into the path
of a Nissan Altima,
driven by a 57-year-old
Indianapolis resident
and her 71-year-old
Englewood passenger.

I POLICE BEAT
The information for Police Beat is gathered from police, sheriff's office, Florida Highway
Patrol, jail and fire records. Not every arrest leads to a conviction. Guiltis determined by the
courtsystem.

Neither of the auto-
mobile passengers was
injured. Delong was
Bayflighted to Blake
Memorial Hospital.

Stores cited in
alcohol sting
Twelve convenience
store clerks, including
one in Venice and one in
Nokomis, were cited for
selling alcohol to a minor

during an undercover
operation conducted
by the Sarasota County
Sheriff's Office Juvenile
Alcohol Task Force
December 27-28.
The following local
businesses were found to
be in violation of sell-
ing alcohol to a person
under 21 and the clerks
were given a misde-
meanor notice to appear:
Low Price Tobacco

and Beer 700 S. Tamiami
Tr., Nokomis 34275
Hess Express 350
Commercial Ct., Venice
34292
Another 43 businesses
were found to be in
compliance and were
sent a letter to commend
owners and employees
for helping reduce the
sale of alcohol to minors.

When the Sarasota-
Manatee Airport Authority
next meets in January, it
is unclear
whether
current
chair Robert
L-" i Waechter
will still
be on the
board.
WAECHTER Waechter,
who has
been on the board for
10 years and was elected
chair in November, was
arrested Dec. 14 and
charged with using some-
one else's identification.
The former chair of
the Republican Party
of Sarasota County was
accused of purchasing a
Visa cash card in a fellow
Republican's name and us-
ing it to make a donation
to a Democrat's campaign
during the last election.
Waechter, 70, did not
return phone messages
seeking comment on the
felony charge.
The victim, Lourdes
Ramirez, is active in
the Sarasota County
Republican politics and
has announced she
plans in 2014 to seek
the Sarasota County
Commission seat held by
Nora Patterson, according
to Joe Gruters, chair of the
county Republican Party.
"Bob hasn't said anything
yet and I want to get all the
facts," Gruters said, "but
there's no need for these
types of dirty politics."
He said the news of
Waechter's arrest was very
disappointing, "but he is
one of the political power
brokers (in the area) and

$ 1
-.L 5

to go down for something
like this just doesn't make
sense."
Ramirez said she was
surprised when she
received a letter from Keith
Fitzgerald's campaign
thanking her for the $200
donation and reported
it to the Sarasota County
Sheriff's Office. Fitzgerald
ran against incumbent
RepublicanVern Buchanan
for the 16th Congressional
District seat.
"I was surprised that
someone would go to that
length and use my name,"
Ramirez said, "and then
it was another surprise
when I found out it was
Bob Waechter."
She said she knew
Waechter from county
commission meetings when
they would sometimes
take opposing positions on
development issues.
As president of the
Council of Neighborhood
Associations, Ramirez
would advocate for local
residents.
She said Waechter
probably heard "through
the grapevine" that she
was contemplating a run
for Patterson's seat and
did not like it because
he supported another
possible candidate.
"At the time I was only
thinking about it," she said.
"Now this kind of pushed
me into going for it. I don't
like to be bullied."
Wendy Rose, spokes-
woman for the Sarasota
County Sheriff's Office,
said the investigation by
the SCSO is complete, but
the office is working with
the state attorney's office.
Also, "at the behest
of the victim, we filed
with the Federal Election
Commission and have

forwarded the paperwork
to them," Rose said.
Waechter, a longtime
member of the govern-
ing board of the Sarasota
Bradenton International
Airport, was first elected in
2000, and served until 2002,
when the law was changed
and the position became a
governor's appointment.
Waechter was then
appointed for a four-year
term until 2006, then
reappointed in 2008 for
another four years.
His term was up in
November and was eligible
to be reappointed, but
because Gov. Rick Scott did
not made the appointment
at that time, Waechter was
allowed to continue to serve
as aboard member, said
Rick Piccolo, president and
CEO of the airport. He has
since withdrawn his request
for reappointment but the
position hasn't been filled.
Not able to comment
on the arrest, Piccolo did
say Waechter did a "fine
job" on the board.
"With his tenure he had
historical and intuitional
knowledge," Piccolo said.
Waechter has not

resigned from the board
yet, Piccolo said. The next
meeting will be held at

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"Walk in with pain
and walk out healthy" is
the message of the new
team that has opened
Therapeutic Massage
ofVenice, 258 South
Tamiami Trail, combin-
ing their skills to offer a
whole range of therapy
services, including walk-
in massage. They can
bring their services to
you, too.
They met at the Florida
State Massage Therapy
Association Convention
in Orlando and decided
that by opening their
own business they could
provide a full range of
therapy services.
A graduate of Venice
High School, Nicole Evans
moved into the medical
field to find something to
benefit herself and to help

her special-needs son.
Following a 12-year career
as a Sarasota County
sheriff's dispatcher, she
trained at Sarasota School
of Massage Therapy, then
spent a year in an acu-
puncturist's clinic.
She felt that her per-
sonal experience and skills
from assisting her son,
who has cystic fibrosis,
could benefit others, so
she obtained certification
in pediatric care. Initially,
her objective is to identify
children in need of thera-
peutic services, then assist
them to establish com-
fortable environments
so they can get used to
people touching them
and not be frightened
or fearful. Additionally,
she provides therapeutic
care to anyone with pain,
illness or in need of relax-
ation, particularly helping
caregivers assisting the

elderly and Alzheimer's
patients.
A certified nursing
assistant, Dawnmarie
Panarella expanded
her career by attending
school and graduating
in therapeutic Swedish
massage. Since 2002
she has incorporated it
in her career, and she
continues both providing
therapy and working for
a Medicare agency.
Deep tissue massage
involving a lot of energy
work is the specialty of
Terry Arcoraci, whose
philosophy is to allow
therapeutic healing to
come through her rather
than of her. Her career
began in a chiropractor's
office in Tampa before she
moved to Venice last year.
Manfred Hohenegger
has practiced massage
therapy for 13 years,
having begun with an

interest in neuromuscular
therapy.
"Most therapists come
into the field to make
people feel better, but I
came in to help people
work better," he said.
"There are massagers
and fixers, I am a fixer."
His career began in
sports massage therapy.
For eight years he has as-
sisted people from week-
end warriors to Ironman
contestants in North
Florida, both before and
after the event. From 2009
to 2011 he was president
of the Florida Massage
Therapy Association,
Tampa Bay Chapter.
For three years he has
been a massage therapy
teacher.
"There is a market for it
in this area as we recently
held the Venice Triathlon,"
he said. "My special mas-
sage therapy experience

SUN PHOTO BY ROGER BUTTON
Manfred Hohenegger demonstrates chair massage on Nicole
Evans, watched by Terry Arcoraci and Dawnmarie Panarella in the
offices of their new business, Therapeutic Massage of Venice.

assisting sports people
and anyone who has a
bad back is vital to many
in this community."
The team will provide
services from a five-
minute massage to a full
session. They have facili-
ties for chair massage in

their offices and can
bring those chairs to any
event.
Walk-ins are welcome
between 9:30 a.m.
and 4 p.m. weekdays.
Appointments are
available.
Email: rogerbutton@verizon.net

Hearing specialists open third office

"Helping people hear
again is our objective,"
said owner Marco Moor,
who chose South Venice
to open his third office,
Lifestyle Hearing Aid
Center, 2171 South
Tamiami Trail, in the
Independence Plaza. An
independent dealer, he
provides free evaluations
and trial-period hearing
aids.
"Hearing aids are
becoming smaller with
more features, including
wireless directly to televi-
sion, telephone, theaters
and wherever there is a
fitted induction system,"
said Moor. "Some are
Bluetooth compatible,
enabling telephone
communication directly

into the hearing aid,
which develops into a
telephone, becoming a
hands-free facility as the
microphone also acts as
a speaker."
From Elkhart, Ind.,
Moor graduated from
the Air Force Academy
and served 10 years of
active and reserve duty
as a helicopter and
tanker aircraft pilot. In
2004 he joined his family,
which opened its first
Lifestyle Hearing in Port
Charlotte, expanding
to Sarasota in 2009 and
then to Venice recently.
The family business of
five specialists includes
his dad, Alex Moor;
wife, Eve Moor; Misty
McAllister; and Shawn
Anderson. Office hours
are weekdays 9 a.m.-
3 p.m. Call 941-244-0892.

Simplicity has
moved
"We are all excited
to get out here," said
Becky Wojdula, owner
of Simplicity Salon and

Day Spa, which has
opened in its new loca-
tion, 1455 E. Venice Ave.,
Unit 10, in the Venice
Commons Shopping
Center.
Her team of 15 profes-
sionals will operate 12
hairdressing stations for
men, women and chil-
dren in the slightly larger
salon, fitted out with new
equipment. Additionally,
they provide massages
and facials and the whole
range of nail services,
with four manicure sta-
tions and four pedicure
stations
"The new location is
convenient for shopping
and has lots of parking,"
said Wojdula, who an-
nounced the move some
months ago.
She was concerned her
customer base would be
inconvenienced by the
planned widening of U.S.
41 Bypass slated to start
in a few months.
Simplicity is open
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday
through Saturdays. Call
941-484-5210.

Sharks' teeth
presentations
"Since the article on
my book about hunt-
ing sharks teeth was
published, I have been
contacted by lots of
people wanting the
book or for me to iden-
tify a fossil for them,"
said author Robert
Fuqua. "A local dive
club asked me to give a
lecture on fossil shark
tooth diving at their
February meeting, so
I have put together a
PowerPoint presenta-
tion, which I offer free
to any organization
wishing to hear it."
Fuqua's book,
"Hunting Fossil Shark
Teeth in Venice, Florida,"
a complete guide to
beach, scuba diving
and inland hunting, is
available at Nifty Nic
Nacs and Sea Pleasures
and Treasures on West
Venice Avenue and in
Englewood and Sarasota
stores. For details, call
941-485-7063.

First festival
Next weekend is the first
of the popular arts festi-
vals on the island the
sixth annual Downtown
Venice Craft Festival,
featuring a unique blend
of contemporary crafts, all
handmade in the U.S.A.
Admission is free to the
event, on West Miami
Avenue 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday,
Jan. 12 and 13.
Some of the nation's
best crafters will con-
verge on the island of
Venice to display and sell
stained glass, handmade
jewelry, paintings, pho-
tography, personalized
products for your kids
and pooch and much,
much more. Adding to
the weekend will be an
expansive Green Market
with plants, flora, orchids
and homemade soaps.

Days of glory
Veterans are invited by
the Venice Symphony
to its upcoming January

Pops concert, "Days of
Glory," featuring music
of the 1940.s. It will
begin with an armed
forces salute and include
music by Duke Ellington,
Rodgers & Hammerstein
and others. The finale
will be Irving Berlin's
"God Bless America"
The event takes place
at the Church of the
Nazarene, East Venice
Avenue, near Venice
Commons Shopping
Center. On Thursday,
Jan. 17, every seat is
$20 for veterans and
on Friday, Jan. 18, and
Saturday, Jan. 19, seats
are $3 off for a veteran
and one guest. The ticket
line is 941-207-8822.

Editor's Note: Service
and product information
in this column should not
be taken as an endorse-
ment of the business.

Send your news ofa
news business opening, an
expansion, a relocation or
other significant event to
rogerbutton@verizon. net.

Real estate sales still solid

By ROGER BUTTON
BUSINEWS COLUMNIST

Properties in the
Venice area are selling
faster at marginally
increasing prices, ac-
cording to the November
property sales report of
the Venice Area Board of
Realtors. The available
inventory increased to
924 compared to 911
in October. However,
the year-to-year com-
parison is a decrease of

28.6 percent from 1,295
in November 2011.
The continuing
overall trend throughout
Sarasota County, how-
ever, was a shrinking
inventory. Inventory
shrank 2.3 percent from
October to November
with a year-over-year
drop of 24.8 percent.
Overall available inven-
tory totaled only 5,271 in
November, down from
7,009 a year ago.
With the usual annual

pause in buyer activ-
ity due to the holidays,
pending sales activity
reflected dropped across
the market. Compared
to last year, though, both
sold and pending activ-
ity are far ahead, which
signals an even healthier
buying season for 2013.
The number of homes
sold increased 4.7 per-
cent in Sarasota County
over the previous month,
with a year-over-year
increase of 18.7 percent.

In Venice, sales were 166,
a 20.3 percent increase
over the previous month
and 24.8 percent up
from 133 sales in 2011,
reported Re/Max Alliance
Group.
Pending sales were
down 8.9 percent com-
pared to October, but
up 18.8 percent year-on-
year in Sarasota County.
In Venice pending sales
were down 12.9 percent
compared to October but
up 2.5 percent compared

to November last year.
The median $160,000
selling price in Venice was
down 0.9 percent from the
previous month and un-
changed from November
2011. Throughout the
county the median price
was less, $151,311, down
5.4 percent compared to
October and up 12.1 per-
cent from $135,000 year
ago.
A final encouraging
factor was the aver-
age number of days a

property is on the
market. Re/Max Alliance
Group reported in Venice
it was just 139 days in
November, a drop of
21.9 percent compared to
October, and a year-on-
year drop of 20.6 percent.
This is a significantly
faster pace than Sarasota
County as a whole, where
the November to October
drop was just 3.1 per-
cent, and year-on-year
was 15.8 percent.
Email: rogerbutton@verizon.net

New leadership takes over VABR

By ROGER BUTTON
BUSINEWS COLUMNIST

"I'm looking forward
to leading the board in
2013, to stabilizing and
improved sales, which is
essential to the viability
of the long term hous-
ing market," said Diane
Fuchs, 2013 president of
the Venice Area Board of
Realtors. "It is going to be
an exciting year with the
construction of our new
building."
At the annual election
of officers held last month
before a crowd of more
than 100 members and
guests, Fuchs, of Prudential
Florida Realty, was elected
and took office this week as
the 57thVABR president.

Jo-Anne Sckowska and
Helen Moore of Michael
Saunders & Company
and Charryl Youman of
Prudential Florida Realty.
Realtor of the Year
Award recipient was Gary
Miller of Results Realty
Group for his numerous
volunteer activities for
the board, its members
and the community. 2012
President Roxie Larain
recognized outgoing di-
rectors Dan Heschmeyer,
Laura Kopple, Gary
Miller and Gae Stewart.
Tom Accardi of Century
C&L Real Estate received
the President's Award
from Larain.
Exceptional Service
Award recipients were
Janice Holloway (Golf/

Scholarship Committee)
and Stephen Lingley
(RPAC and Data Services
Committee and My
Florida Regional MLS
Director). Affiliate Honor
Roll Inductees were Bob
Massanova of SWF Home
Inspections, Joe Sikora of
BB&T Insurance Services
and Barbara Thompson
of Riddell Law Group.
Gulfside Mortgage
Services was honored as
the Volunteer of the Year.
Mary Ann Westlund
received a special award
for her service, commit-
ment and high ideals
for the profession. A
Lifetime Achievement
Award was presented to
Golda Radefeld for her
35-year career in real

With hundreds if
not thousands of dead
mullet washing up
on Manasota Key and
other local barrier
islands in the height of
mullet fishing season,
it's not surprising some
residents might ques-
tion whether commer-
cial mullet fishermen
are behind the fish kill.
Manasota Key resi-
dent and wildlife pho-
tographer Paula Kaye
said 20 to 30 mullet

THAXTON

FROM PAGE 1

banks nationwide, and
the foundation is doing
additional studies in
Sarasota County that will
give it a better grasp on
actionable data, means
and assistance in the
area.

BOARD

FROM PAGE 1

heading long-term."
Board Chair Jane
Goodwin and member
Carol Todd agreed.
"I would like for us
to have a philosophical
discussion on how to make
cuts," Todd said, adding
that she isn't comfortable
with how it has been done
in the past cutting items
from a list of things the
district can get along with-
out. "As a board we need to

HIGH-TECH

FROM PAGE 1

"I love smoking," said
Laura Miller, who has
been at it for 14 years.
"However I don't think
it's worth killing myself
over."
Miller opts for anoth-
er approach a faux
cigarette that runs on a
battery and allows users
to inhale nicotine-in-
fused water vapor and
even blow out "smoke."
Miller is an avid cus-
tomer of VaporLicious,
a retailer dedicated
to selling e-cigarette
accessories. The shop
offers a variety of styles,

fishing boats were clus-
tered offshore Sunday
between the public
Englewood Beach and
Stump Pass Beach State
Park.
"The fishermen were
out there all day from
sunup until a long time
after sunset," Kaye
said. "We have not re-
ally seen that out here
in the last eight years.
Everyone out here is
talking about it."
However, red tide -
not dumping is the
probable cause of the
fish kill, biologists say.

"As the actionable data
comes in, we will be
working with our donors
and our board about
various initiatives the
Gulf Coast Community
Foundation may choose
to engage in to help
alleviate the hunger
and nutrition issue in
Sarasota County and
adjacent areas," Thaxton
said.

have a discussion on how
to balance (our) budget. I
trust the superintendent,
but every year we end up
with a list. I really don't like
doing it this way."
Superintendent Lori
White said she is more
than happy to have the
discussion Todd hopes
for, and agreed that
continuing to rely on
reserve funds is danger-
ous. But she also warned
the board that decisions
are only going to become
more difficult as more
cuts become necessary.
"Finding additional

flavors and quantities
of nicotine.
"I started out with 18
milligrams," Miller said.
"Now I've been weaning
myself off and I haven't
wanted a real cigarette
since I quit."

Email: mfavorite@sun-herald.com

The vast majority of
the dead fish washing
up on local beaches
are 12-inch or larger
mullet. But the prob-
able cause was toxic
red tide algae that was
blown close to shore by
the western winds of
the recent cold front.
Kaye said she talked
to some of the fisher-
men and they told
her the red tide may
have remained on the
surface, which mullet
inhabit, and did not in-
fect the water column.
While mullet

Thaxton said he's been
working on what the
foundation calls "grant
close-outs," which are
a lot of small projects
being managed at the
same time. He said there
are 30-40 projects, all of
which compose a single
project finalizing the
requirement of grants
and getting them closed
out.

reductions becomes a very
painful process for all of
us," she said. "I think we're
all very mindful that we
can look good compared
with other budgets with
our 14.8 percent" the
Sarasota County School
District ranks 21st out
of the 67 districts in the
state in terms of available
unassigned fund balance
- "but we can't continue
relying on these dollars.
"We have to reduce
... while protecting the
students the best we
can."
Email: annek@sun-herald.com

RE hxl
RI OiT

E.jX

,t~i

predominated the
fish washed onshore,
fingerling sail catfish,
small grunts and
sheepshead can be
found scattered among
the carcasses.
Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation
Commission officials
also suspect red tide,
not dumping by com-
mercial fishermen.
Because FWC has
not examined any of
the dead fish, FWC
spokeswoman Wendy
Quigley said, "We can't
rule out dumping, but

"Closing out those
grants at the same time
was quite big," Thaxton
said.
Thaxton said he has
been very busy with his
new job and, therefore
has not paid much
attention to matters
involving the commis-
sion. He said he has
had several people from
the county talk to him

it's not likely, based
on the information we
received. Most likely,
it's red tide."
With as many fish
as are being re-
ported washed up on
Manasota Key and Don
Pedro Island, Quigley
said dumping isn't
likely. More common
signs of dumping
include witnesses who
discover commercial
fishermen unloading
dead fish that are gut-
ted with loss of scales
or marks from nets; or
finding dead fish at a

on county issues, but
he does not want to be
involved at this time.
"It's not so much
because I won't be en-
gaged as a citizen, but
right now, quite frankly
I'm overwhelmed
and my priorities are
right here at the Gulf
Coast Community
Foundation. This is
an incredible group

boat ramp or dock.
Also, with the recent
passing of the cold
front, Quigley said
large schools of mul-
let would be expected
to gather offshore to
spawn.
"The timing was
right," Quigley said.
To learn more
about Florida fresh
or saltwater fish
kills, visit research.
myfwc.com/fishkill/.
To report a fish kill,
call the FWC hotline at
800-636-0511.
Email: reilly@sun-herald.com

of people and it's a
wonderful organization
- from the board of
directors right down to
every single staff person
that's here," Thaxton
said. "I'm just really
honored to be a part of
the team. They've been
very gracious ... and
somewhat patient."

Email: slockwood@sun-herald.com

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712 Th Rialt, Venie, FL 941-48-022

LEGAL NOTICES

NOTICE OF ACTION

NOTICE OF FORFEITURE
PROCEEDINGS
To: All Persons or entitles having or
claiming to have any right, title, or inter-
est in the following property:
One
2010 Chevrolet
VIN# 1G1ZC5EBOAF309819
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the
Sarasota County Sheriff's Office seized
the described property on October 24,
2012 in Sarasota County, Florida. A for-
feiture complaint has been filed in the Cir-
cult Court, Twelfth Judicial Circuit, in and
for Sarasota County, Florida, being case
no. 2012-CA-9056-NC for the purpose of
obtaining a final order of forfeiture as to
the above described property upon pro-
ducing due proof that same was used in
violation of Florida laws dealing with con-
traband, pursuant to the Florida Contra-
band Forfeiture Act, Sections 932.701-
707, Florida Statutes.
PATRICK DUG-
GAN, ESQUIRE Assistant Gen-
eral Counsel
Sarasota County Sheriff's Office
Post Office Box 4115
Sarasota, Florida 34230
(Telephone (941) 861-4058; 861-5800
Publish: December 26, January 2, 2012

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF FOR
SARASOTA COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION
IN RE: ESTATE OF
EDWARD ORZECHOWSKI
Deceased,
File No: 2012 CP 3628 SC
Division PR
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of
EDWARD ORZECHOWSKI, deceased,
whose date of death was August 20,
2011, is pending in the Circuit Court for
Sarasota County, Florida, Probate Divi-
sion, the address of which is 4000
South Tamiami Trail, Venice, FL
34293. The names and addresses of the
Personal Representative and the Personal
Representative's attorney are set forth
below.
All creditors of the decedent and
other persons having claims or demands
against decedent's estate on whom a
copy of this notice is required to be
served, must file their claims with this
Court WITHIN THE LATER OF THREE
MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE
FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE
OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF
SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE
ON THEM.
All other creditors of the decedent
and persons having claims or demands
against the decedent's estate must file

NOTICE TO
CREDITORS
20

their claims with this Court WITHIN
THREE MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF
THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS
NOTICE.
ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN
THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN
SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA
PROBATE CODE WILL BE FOREVER
BARRED.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME
PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY
CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR
MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE
OF DEATH IS BARRED.
The date of first publication of this
notice is January 2, 2013.
Personal Representative:
W. GRADY HUIE
143 East Miami Avenue
Venice, FL 34285
Attorney for Personal
Representives:
W. GRADY HUIE, ESQUIRE
FL Bar No. 0192724
143 East Miami Avenue
Venice, FL 34285
Telephone: (941) 488-8551
Fax: (941) 488-5268
E-Mail: ghuie@aol.com
Publish: January 2, 9, 2013

CITY OF VENICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
In accordance with Section 3.06(d) of the city charter, notice is
hereby given that the City of Venice, Florida, shall hold a pubilc
hearing on January 8, 2013, beginning at 9:00 a.m. or shortly
thereafter in Council Chambers, City Hall, 401 West Venice
Avenue, Venice Florida, for the purpose of the proposed sale of
city-owned property to CNLBANK. This property is a metes and
bounds description, which is located between Laurel and Border
Roads, and will be part of the North/South Connector Road Pro-
ject, consisting of approximately 31.479 acres, more or less.
The sales price is $10.00.
Plans and/or details are available for public inspection at the
City's Clerk's office, 401 West Venice Avenue, Venice, Florida.
All interested persons are invited to attend and be heard. Written
comment filed with the City Clerk of the City of Venice will be
considered.
If you are disabled and need assistance, please contact the
City's Clerk's office at least 24 hours prior to the hearing.
/s/ Lori Stelzer, MMC, City Clerk
Publish: January 2, 2013

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Not Mid with other others or

ust in time for the new year's rush
of visitors to our area, red tide is
back at some local beaches.
Fish killed by the Karenia brevis tox-
in began washing ashore last Monday,
primarily in the Englewood area. Dead
mullet littered the high-tide line at
Blind Pass Beach; discolored water
was seen on Don Pedro Island.
Fortunately, Sarasota County was
out in force at Blind Pass Beach on
Thursday, using labor gangs from the
sheriff's Work Offender Program to
pick up fish carcasses. On Friday, they
returned to clean Manasota Beach.
The Gulf is colder this time of year,
so it's unlikely the red tide will scare
off a lot of would-be swimmers. But
holiday visitors from the north love
our beaches: Sitting on a blanket in

the sunshine or collecting shells along
the shore isn't a common activity in
Wisconsin or upstate New York in
December. So there's always the con-
cern they will become discouraged.
In high-enough concentration,
the Karenia brevis toxin kills fish
and other wildlife, even manatees
and dolphins. The spray released
when waves hit the shore can induce
coughing, sneezing and runny noses.
Sarasota lifeguards late last week
reported "moderate to high" levels
of irritation. Problems are com-
pounded when wind is blowing off
the Gulf. If you suffer from asthma
or other respiratory illnesses, red
tide can be particularly difficult. Best
to stay away.
But biologists say its still

reasonably safe to go swimming, if
you're hardy enough to withstand
the cold water. Be careful, though.
According to the environmental
group START (Solutions to Avoid Red
Tide): "If you have particularly sensi-
tive skin that is easily irritated, avoid
red tide water. If you experience skin
irritation while swimming, leave the
water and thoroughly rinse off with
fresh water. Swimming near dead
fish is not recommended, as they are
associated with harmful bacteria."
Indeed.
If you're planning an outing, check
beach conditions first. Red tide comes
and goes with the winds and currents;
it can be intense one day and light
the next. Mote Marine Laboratory
in Sarasota has a website that lists

conditions updated twice daily: www.
mote.org/beaches. In Sarasota County,
you also can get the latest conditions
by calling 941-BEACHES.
Remember, red tide is a naturally
occurring organism, always present
in low or background concentra-
tions. Biologists including those at
Mote are researching the triggers
and movements of algal blooms, but
evidence indicates man-made pollu-
tion contributes.
Those of us who live here full- or
part-time should know the impor-
tance of a healthy Gulf to our lifestyle
and economy. Events like this also
remind us of the importance of
continuing scientific research into the
causes and movement of the red tide
organism.

New beginnings

Tim
Smolarick

Wow, it's really 2013! I
remember the turning of the
century as if were yesterday.
Much has changed in the
world over the last 12 years,
and I wonder what this next
year will bring us in econom-
ics, technology, world affairs
and our community. One thing
is certain: People are getting
adept at handling change. So,
let's be prepared for the posi-
tive changes that are bound to
happen as we move to a more
stable economy. I know we are
all looking forward to a strong
economy once again, and
indicators point to continued
growth.
Speaking of change, the
first-ever Venice Gondolier
Sun Best of Venice awards
banquet is right around
the corner, and our staff is
busy preparing a wonderful
night for our proud business
owners. The votes have been
counted, invitations are being
delivered and we are gearing
up for our annual special
section saluting the winners
and finalists.
This section is specifically
for the finalists and winners
in almost 200 categories of
business in our market. It
carries a lot of weight all year
and beats the heck out of a
phone book when you need a
service right now. Who better
to call than a Best of winner
or finalist?
Dinner, awards and danc-
ing what a grand celebra-
tion it should be. If anyone
would like to come salute and
celebrate with us please, give
Kathi a call at 941-207-1000
and make your reservation
today. The more the merrier,
we often say. We would love

to have you, and I am sure
our business owners and rep-
resentatives would be thrilled
to see you.
The Venice Gondolier Sun
proudly supports many
local events, charities and
campaigns throughout the
year, and as things get busy
in January, I would like to
thank our partners for the
time and effort you give to the
community. We continue to
believe partnering with local
organizations that have a
positive impact on our com-
munity is in the best interest of
us all, and our pledge for 2013
is to continue to be a support
mechanism.
Here is a special thank-you
to our subscribers for your
continued support. It is indeed
an honor to place our product
in your homes every week.
Your loyalty, support and ideas
continue to rank high on our
list. We do what we do because
of you and we are thrilled to be
a part of your life.
Our advertising clients are
incredible business owners
and operators who demon-
strate loyalty to our products
as we continue to deliver
results. These partnerships are
valued at all levels throughout
our organization, and I am so
proud to see their messages to
you each week in our newspa-
per and magazines. Thank you
for allowing us to serve your
business.
A new year brings hope for
a better tomorrow and the
renewed promise of opportu-
nity in the unknown. While I
appreciate these facts, I feel it
is important to never forget the
present and the past support
given to this newspaper by
this community. It is indeed
a pleasure to serve each one
of you and we look forward to
being your Venice Gondolier
Sun in 2013.
From the entire staff at
200 E. Venice Ave., thank you
for allowing us to be a part of
your world.

Tim Smolarick is publisher of
the Venice Gondolier Sun.

MISSION STATEMENT
To be the superior quality, low-cost provider of information and adver-
tising in the local communities we serve. We will continuously improve:
the value of information provided to our customers; the value and results
for our advertisers; the quality of life in our communities; the return on
our stockholders'investment ... while providing a fair, challenging and
rewarding workplace for productive employees.

LETTERS WELCOME
Letters to the editor are welcome on virtually any subject. They must be
signed and give the writer's address and telephone number for verifica-
tion. Letters of more than 250 words may be edited for length. We do not
publish letters that condemn or praise business service. We do not publish
poetry, open letters or letters to third parties. Letters from the same
person will not be published more than once a month. Send or bring your
letter to the Venice Gondolier Sun, 200 E. Venice Ave., Venice FL 34285. You
can also fax signed letters to 941-484-8460 or email them to bmudge@
venicegondolier.com. For more information, call 941-207-1000.

There are four important
decisions Venice City Council
will make in the near future
that will affect our fine city for
years to come.
One of the biggest surprises in
2012 was the retirement an-
nouncement of longtime City
Attorney Bob Anderson. It will be
difficult to replace the institu-
tional knowledge gained during
his 24 years of service to the city.
Bob has agreed to stay on as the
city attorney until March 31.
Council's goal is to have the
new city attorney selected and
hired by March 1 to have at
least a 30-day period for the
new attorney to be briefed
on open cases and become
familiar with the daily routine.
We wish Bob all the best life
has to offer and hope he has a
long and healthy retirement.
He earned it.

Pensions
The second item requiring
substantial research is the
defined benefit pension plans
established by Florida law for
police and firefighters.
The pension plans grew well
during the high interest/high
stock market performance
days of the 1980s and 1990s,
but have struggled to produce
acceptable returns since 2000.
With interest rates staying near
zero for a protracted period of
time and the stockmarket seem-
ingly unable to break through
to new and sustainable highs, it
seems prudent to have an outside
consultant review the plans and
inform council of the options to
assure a sustainable pension for
our police officers and firefighters.
Whatever direction we
ultimately take, it must be a
long-term solution that is fair
to employees and taxpayers.

Park lands
The third situation occupy-
ing a substantial amount of
council time is future uses of
city park land.
Circumstances surrounding
Pinebrook Park, the northern
half of the Wellfield Park

John
Holic

complex, are an interesting
example of what can happen
when city records and city policy
are not revised or followed.
The first part of this equation
is to establish the identity of
Pinebrook Park. Although the
name Pinebrook Park appears
on the county tax rolls, it was
not listed by the city or county
as a named park.
Additionally, Pinebrook Park
is zoned GU (government use)
and may have been originally
purchased for construction of
city buildings and additional
park space.
Once a firm proposal to build
baseball fields for physically
challenged youth was received
by the city, a group of concerned
citizens organized to speak out
for the preservation of the area
as a natural green space.
In order to ensure the area
remains a natural preserve, it
must be rezoned to OUC (open-
use conservation). Without
rezoning, the land will always
be eligible for park and city
infrastructure development.
If council decides to rezone
the park land, I will recommend
that decision be placed on a
referendum ballot in November.
Rezoning takes land previ-
ously purchased that could
be used for a multitude of
government purposes and
forever makes the land usable
for conservation only.
This is a larger decision than
it may appear as the city does
not own other land suitable for
expansion. Without its availability,
the city would have to buy land for
these other purposes. We do not
have money to do so and might
require a referendum to borrow
money for land acquisition.
The second part of the equa-
tion is that the city should have a

master plan to serve as a guide for
development of the parks system.
The Parks & Recreation
Advisory Board, Planning
Commission and several
departments will create a cohe-
sive master plan. A master plan
will save future city councils a
lot of debate time regarding the
proper use of parks.
The third part of this equation
is disposition of the lime pits in
the Pinebrook Park portion of the
complex. The Florida Department
of Environmental Protection is
starting to require municipal
cleanup of lime pit deposits.
FDEP is already working with the
Englewood area to remove its
lime pit deposits and might be
coming to Venice soon. We should
develop a proactive approach to
the removal of the lime pits rather
than wait for an ultimatum with a
tight time frame for removal.
Council is asking the
Environmental Advisory Board
to make recommendations
regarding this issue.

Garbage pickup
A fourth item is solid-waste
pickup and the difference in the
cost of collecting garbage once
a week versus twice a week.
Council has asked for the cost
factors and the environmental
impact difference. To make a
good comparison, we need to
know how much less in dollars
a resident would pay, as well as
how much fuel could be saved
and how much less wear and tear
on the vehicles there would be.
We need alternatives for the
large population that spends
only part of the year in Venice.
I am in favor of having a con-
sultant do a complete study to
present to our citizens and let
them decide how often garbage
should be collected.
Although these four items
have taken a lot of council
time, they have provided many
insights into the operation of
our city. I am sure the residents
will be satisfied with the results
when we reach conclusions.

John Holic is mayor of the city
ofVenice.

Tough decisions lie ahead

m

L

Florida panther needs more protection

ANDREW
MCELWAINE
GUEST COLUMNIST

2012 has been the
deadliest year on record
for the iconic Florida
panther. With two weeks
to go, the all-time record
for deaths had been
broken: so far 26 panthers
have been killed, 17 of
which were on roads and
highways. These tragic
losses represent a major
challenge to the long-term
survival of the species.
The panther popula-
tion is estimated by the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service at approximately
100 to 120 individuals, all
in south Florida. While
these numbers represent
a modest gain in popula-
tion, the panther remains
critically endangered.
The largest threat to the
panther's future is contin-
ued loss of habitat. Urban
sprawl, mining and in-
dustrial agriculture have
resulted in the loss of tens
of thousands of acres;
more than 40,000 acres
of panther habitat have
been destroyed in the last
15 years. Yet in all that
time the federal agency
charged with protecting

I LETTERS FROM OUR READERS

Don't advertise it

Editor:
The educators who
post these "Gun-Free
Zone" signs on school
property make these kids
sitting targets for the bad
guys. Do you think they
would put out a sign on
the front lawn of their
own personal homes,
"We're a Gun-Free
Home"? No way; they
would connect the dots
immediately.
It's time for real secu-
rity in the schools, like
armed guards. Parents
have to demand it.

Carol Parajos
Venice

It's not just guns

Editor:
I have been reading
and watching on TV the
results of the terrible trag-
ic events from Newtown,
Conn., and while I am
broken-hearted from
these senseless killings I
am amazed that most of
the letters I read in the
letters to the editor talk

about restricting guns.
I agree there are too
many guns in our society
and assault weapons
have to be controlled,
but this is only half of
the story. There are many
other things that con-
tribute to how our young
people react to other
members of our society.
Over the past 30 years
we have established a
"culture of death" in our
society.
Everywhere our young
people look there is
death: our TV is full of
murder and death; the
games that our young
people play are about
giving points to players
for how many people
they can kill. Our society
condones capital punish-
ment and abortion on
demand, and in many
states euthanasia is the
law.
Our children are never
taught that love is how
our citizens should be
treating each other.
Many of our political
leaders fight for the right
to dispense contracep-
tives in some of our high
schools. Many homes do

endangered species has
never objected to a single
development.
Even more concerning
are scientists' findings
that available panther
lands are occupied the
available habitat is full.
Any further destruction
can only result in more
deaths, either on the
roads or from panthers
killing each other for
territory.
Unfortunately, devel-
opment proposals in
the remaining panther
range are accelerat-
ing. A major push to
develop the Rural Land
Stewardship Area of

not teach their children
about moral values, and
the public schools can-
not teach these values
because of lawsuits from
the ACLU. The greatest
problem is that God has
been kicked out of our
public schools.
This coarse society
must be changed to pro-
tect our children. Moral
values must be returned
to our public schools.
Our leaders must take
more responsibil-
ity in ensuring guns are
controlled and violent
games are restricted from
children. Prayer needs
to be returned to our
society and our public
schools and death needs
to be taught in a respon-
sible, serious manner.
Our society could
take a lesson from our
Catholic and Jewish pri-
vate schools, where God
is welcome and prayer
is part of the curriculum
and moral values are
an important part of
learning.
I am in awe of the
acts of the teachers in
the Sandy Hook public
school. These were

eastern Collier County
- ironically, named
the "Florida Panther
Protection Program"-
promotes more destruc-
tion of panther lands
and will result in 45,000
acres of residential and
commercial develop-
ment. It would increase
the maximum allowed
density from 40,000
rooftops to more than
175,000. Additionally, the
plan will result in more
than 100 miles of new
or expanded roadways,
which in some cases will
increase traffic on rural
roads by a factor of 20.
Meanwhile, proposed

truly acts of lov
students. I onb
that these acts
translated into
in our public sc

Teaching n
will fix

Editor:
Following thi
Connecticut m
murder tragedy
deal of public 1
exerted on gov
to ban assault i
not all guns, in
ing pistols, and
end to such cr
killings. People
that if laws had
place prohibit
of the assault r
mass killer's m
purchased and
he gained acce
little children x
be alive.
Notwithstanc
one pays atten
the police repo
event, one lear
assault rifle wa
long after the k

new sand and rock
mines threaten more
than 15,000 more acres
of panther habitat.
Developers and their
allies have also asked
the federal government
for a comprehensive
"take" permit some-
times ironically called a
"Habitat Conservation
Plan." That permit would
allow the 45,000 acres of
development to proceed
without the need for
further federal wildlife
agency oversight.
It is past the time
that meaningful habitat
conservation and growth
management plans

re for their in the trunk of the
y wish murderer's parked car.
could be It never made it inside
teaching the school. It had not
schools. been fired that fateful
morning. The mass mur-
Ken Aubrey derer used pistols, not
Venice an assault rifle. A ban on
assault rifles would not
have saved those lives.
morality Modern society's main
(all problem today is loss of
personal responsibility
and loss of faith-based
e moral values that led
ass man to do good, not
y, a great harm, to others. Society's
pressure is behavior used to be
ernment guided by religious moral
rifles, if norms much more some
clud- generations ago than to-
I put an day. With secularization,
uel mass very unfortunate conse-
figure quences follow. I am not
I been in so sure that government,
ng the sale with regulations such
ifle the as gun control, could
Other had reverse that.

which
ss to, the
vould now

ding, if
tion to
irts on the
ns that the
s found
killings,

Instead, I urge today's
parents at home to block
TV and video game
violence. Reinforce
character building by
sending children to
Sunday School and Boy
Scouts. If the district
allows school choice,
send them to charter or

replace the failed ones
of today. New develop-
ment should take place
outside of the panther's
primary range, and vital
panther corridors need
to be preserved. Sadly,
existing proposals seem
to be going in the wrong
direction.
There is a lesson to be
learned from the increas-
ing deaths among pan-
thers. But if that lesson
remains unlearned, the
species may be headed
back toward extinction.

Andrew McElwaine is
president of Conservancy
of Southwest Florida.

parochial schools and
enlist them in JROTC
programs. Society will
then improve.

Nick Catsakis
Nokomis

Focus on mental
health too

Editor:
I hate guns and agree
that the time is past due
for closing the loopholes,
and that every poten-
tial buyer must have
a background check.
However, I would like
to point out that in the
horrific Newtown tragedy
the two guns used were
purchased by a highly
respected member of
the community- the
shooter's mother, whom
he also shot.
More attention must
be focused on mental
health and family denial.
Lock up the guns but
please pay attention
to mental health. The
combination is lethal.

The VHS girls basketball
team dropped all three
of its games in the Willie
Clemons Girls Basketball
Classic, but the team made
strides that will pay off as
the season progresses.
Venice came out flat in
its tournament opener
against Boca Ciega, the
No. 9 team in Class 5A,
falling 60-34 to the Pirates.
Maggie Flynn led the
Indians with 18 points, but
Venice's offense struggled.
"We came out with no
energy," said Venice head
coach Jim Davis. "It was
probably our worst game
all year."
Venice responded
the next day against
Riverview, building a
14-point first-half lead
and taking a 12-point lead
into halftime. The Indians,
however, failed to protect
the ball in the second half,
committing 13 turnovers
in the final 16 minutes.
Flynn, who scored a
team-high 14 for Venice,
was hampered by foul

trouble and forced to sit
for most of the third quar-
ter, allowing the Rams
to creep back into the
game and steal a 45-43
win. Emma Hanewinckel
added 12 points.
The Indians came up
short again in the tourna-
ment finale, this time
falling 52-47 to Lakewood
Ranch. Flynn ledVenice
with 18 points and Koree
Ream chipped in 14 for the
Indians, who were hurt by
their own attrition. Mariah
Miller went down with an
injury, leaving a flu-ravaged
Indians roster even thinner.
The Indians finished the
game with just seven play-
ers, but Davis said he liked
what he saw as the tourna-
ment went on.
"What I liked most is that
we competed hard the last
two games," he said. "We
just need to do that every
time we step on the floor."
The Indians won't
have to wait long to get
another shot at Riverview,
as the Indians will travel
to Sarasota to take on the
Rams Friday night at 7:30.

Maggie Flynn averaged 17 points per game in the Willie Emma Hanewinckel scored 12 points, but Venice lost 45-43 to
Clemmons Classic. Riverview.

Carey

awarded

tennis

scholarship

STAFF REPORT
Allison Carey, an eighth
grader from Nokomis, was
awarded a $300 scholar-
ship at the Team Tennis
Junior League Playoff.
Carey, who plays for
the Jacaranda Tennis
Club in Venice, wrote the
following thank-you let-
ter to Brad Hahn, whose
team funded the award:
Dear Mr. Hahn,
My name is Allison Carey
and I would like to thank
you for the team tennis
scholarship award money
your team gave to me.

I have been playing for
the Team Tennis Junior
League for four years
and hope to continue to
advance and become a
better player. Thanks to
you and your team I will be
able to take lessons with
my coach, Coach Jim, and
eventually hope to play
on the Venice High School
Tennis Team next year.
It was very kind and
thoughtful of your team to
sponsor me with this schol-
arship and I appreciate the
gift you have given me.
Sincerely,
Allison Carey

PHOTO PROVIDED

Allison Carey hopes to play tennis for Venice High School next year.

War vet excels on tennis circuit

STAFF REPORT

Eighty-six-year-old Lyn
Abbot has been playing
and winning at tennis
since he was taught by
his father in New Jersey
at age 8.
A member of
Courtside Tennis Club
in Venice since 1991,
Abbot has played four
to five days per week

except when in rehab
for his two hip and right
knee replacements. He
was an MP and NCO in
the Army at the end of
WWII, stationed in the
Philippians after being
drafted during his senior
year of high school.
Abbot's East Orange,
N.J., high school won
three state tennis
championships. He went

to night school to get
his high school diploma
after being discharged
and went on to Seton
Hall University, where he
accrued a 68-4 record on
the court.
His ROTC work at
Seton Hall made him
an officer just in time
to re-enlist for the
Korean War, again as
an Army MP in the war

zone. After serving his
country, Abbot had a
very successful career
in the insurance indus-
try in the N.Y./N.J. area
before retiring in 1985.
Abbot competed in
tennis while working,
and his involvement
in the sport grew upon
retirement.
He has been a state or
nationally ranked player

starting with the 35 age
division continuing into
his 80s.
When Abbot moved
to Florida, he disposed
of nearly 500 tennis
trophies. He has been in
Florida's top 10 for men's
singles in age groups
60-65-70-75 and was half
of Florida's No. 1 doubles
team.
Abbot is on

Courtside's 75's team
in the Sun Coast Senior
Men's Tennis League.
He has been involved
with SCSMTL since
1991 and has seen it
grow into the largest
independent men's
tennis league in the
country, with over 1,600
players from 30 clubs
in Sarasota/Manatee
Counties.

Senior tennis league heating up

STAFF REPORT

At the holiday break,
there is tight competi-
tion to win each divi-
sion of the Sun Coast
Senior Men's Tennis

SPORTS BRIEFS

League. In several divi-
sions there is a two- or
three-way tie.
Leadingin each divi-
sion are:
50-1 Payne Park
Cardinal

Volleyball team raising funds
for rings
The 7A champion Venice High
volleyball team is currently accept-
ing tax-deductible donations for the
purchase of championship rings.
The total cost for the rings will be
$8,000-$10,000.

registration for players ages 6 to 16 on
Jan. 5 and Jan. 12.
Registration will be held at Chuck Reiter
Field from 9 a.m. to noon on those dates.
Registration for Minors and Majors
levels is $140; for Juniors and Seniors
levels is $160.
Visit www.venicelittle league.com for

Advisory board
appointees
Mayor John Holic,
with the consent of
Venice City Council,
appointed the following
people to serve on city
boards:
Caroline Deaterly,
reappointed to the
Parks & Recreation
Advisory Board as a
STAR Student member,
to serve until May 31,
2013.
Andrew Devries,
to the Police Pension
Board of Trustees, to
serve until Sept. 30,
2014.
Fred Fraize, to the
Environmental Advisory
Board, to complete the
term of the late Don
Griffin, until March 31,
2015.
There is an opening

OALGHTI

SHOP LOCAL

TODAY!

SAVE GAS,

SUPPORT OUR

LOCALLY OWNED

BUSINESSES

on the Planning
Commission. Board
applications are avail-
able online at www.
venicegov.com; click on
Advisory Boards.
For more informa-
tion, contact Recording
Secretary Judy Gamel
at 941-486-2626, ext.
23003, or jgamel@
venicegov.com.

River Club
growing
About 23 new single-
family homes will be
built in Venetian Golf &
River Club. It is the last
phase of the subdivision
built on East Laurel
Road formerly known as
Henry Ranch.
This plat was
originally slated to have
multi-family homes,
but recent market
conditions called for
single-family homes to
be built.
Downtown
dropoff
Now you can drop off
and pick up someone
on West Venice Avenue.
The first parking place
in the westbound lane
in the 100 block has
been designated a load-
ing and unloading area
with a 5-minute limit.

Lord-Higel House
gets a boost
Dr. Bill Jervey recent-
ly presented a check
to Venice Heritage Inc.
as part of his $25,000
contribution to the res-
toration of the historic,
pioneer-era Lord-Higel
House.
The house was built
by pioneer and entre-
preneur Joseph H. Lord
in 1896 in the middle
of his 90-acre citrus
grove, known as Stone
Grove. The grove has
since been developed
as Bayshore Estates
along Roberts Bay.
Pioneer George
Higel, his wife, Abigail,
and their six children
lived in this house for
several years while
George supervised the
grove for Lord.
Venice Heritage Inc.
supports the restora-
tion and the expansion
of the Venice Museum
and Archives. A portion
of the membership
fees and proceeds from
its sales go to both
projects.
On sale are Venice
historic photo play-
ing cards at $15 a set,
available at the Venice
Museum and Archives,
351 S. Nassau St.

Other items for sale
include:
Cotton T-shirts in
all sizes, $15 each.
Collectible wooden
house miniatures
depicting the historic
Lord-Higel house, $20
each.
To participate in
the Raise the Roof
campaign, you can
sponsor a roof panel
at $100 per panel; $400
for a 2-foot-by-16-foot
section; $100 per roll of
roof dry-in insulation;
or $50 for a box of roof
screws. For informa-
tion, call 941-237-0478.

VABI exhibit
planned
The next tempo-
rary exhibit at the
Venice Museum and
Archives, "VABI Knits
a Community," begins
Jan. 17 with a reception
in the Triangle Inn,
351 S. Nassau Street,
5-7 p.m.
The exhibit cel-
ebrates the private/
public partnership
responsible for com-
pleting the 10-mile
Venetian Waterway
Park, public art
throughout downtown
Venice, the Arboretum
at West Blalock Park

and other projects that
make Venice a beauti-
ful place to live. The
exhibit is open Monday
through Wednesday,
10 a.m.-4 p.m., until
April 3.

Civil War
presentation
planned
Betty Jean
Steinshouer will play
the part of the famous
19th century New
England author Harriet
Beecher Stowe at the
Tuesday, Jan. 22, meet-
ing of the Venice Area
Historical Society.
Stowe was the author
of "Uncle Tom's Cabin"
during the Civil War.
This is the third

program of the Civil
War Series funded by a
grant from the Florida
Humanities Council,
with other funding
from the National
Endowment for the
Humanities.
Steinshouer, who is
from St. Petersburg,
holds a master's degree
in English literature.
The event takes place
at Village On The Isle,
in the Mark Manor
Building, 930 South
Tamiami Trail. The
program is free and
open to the public.
No reservations are
necessary. For more
information visit: www.
veniceareahistorical
society.org, or call
941-412-0151.

Several new laws
kicked in across the
state Tuesday, includ-
ing legislation that
makes it legal for
motorists to flash
their headlights to
warn other drivers
that police are lurking
somewhere ahead.
In particular, local
drivers might want to
pay attention to chang-
es in Florida's Personal
Injury Protection law,
which governs basic
insurance needs for
motorists.
PIP, required under
all auto-insurance

policies in Florida,
covers 80 percent of
any medical bills up to
$10,000 and 60 percent
of lost wages, along with
a $10,000 death benefit.
The new changes
to the law, originally
enacted in 1971, look
to cut down on insur-
ance fraud and, in
turn, reduce insurance
rates for drivers. But at
least one local insur-
ance agent thinks that
if rates aren't affected
as soon as six months,
then the law has not
been written properly
to protect rate-payers.
"It's too early to tell
if it's going to work,
but there are already

people looking for
ways around this law,"
said Jack Alexander,
owner of Insurance
Depot. "It's not a pana-
cea for what's wrong."
Changes to the law
include: initial treat-
ments for motorists
who experience an
accident must be
within 14 days of the
wreck, putting a time-
line on what was an
open-ended process;
all initial treatments
must be provided by a
licensed physician at
the physician's office
or hospital facility,
instead of at pain-
management clinics
or chiropractic offices;

and massage therapy
and acupuncture no
longer are covered.
According to at-
torney Russell Kirshy,
who handles criminal
defense along with
personal-injury and
auto-accident cases,
the new law is a "mon-
ey grab" by insurance
companies that will
limit the way to make
a claim on your own
insurance.
Kirshy said an attor-
ney should be advising
his clients to get to an
emergency room or a
doctor as soon as pos-
sible to document the
injuries, as doing so
will protect your rights

as a policyholder.
But Kirshy thinks
the new legislation
ultimately is aimed at
lawyer- and doctor-re-
ferral services that are
trying to accomplish
everything in-house,
providing a one-stop
shop for the legal
and medical needs of
motorists injured in
auto accidents.
"Insurance compa-
nies want to find ways
not to pay claims,"
Kirshy added. "And a
lot of people don't go
to the doctor imme-
diately because they
think their injuries will
get better, or it takes a
while for the injuries to

show themselves."
In the business for
nearly as long as the
PIP law has been in
existence, Alexander
said the original
legislation, while well
intended, has caused
motorists' insurance
rates to skyrocket over
the years.
Once a benefit in a
state that had a lot of
uninsured motorists on
the road, it since has
turned into a burden,
he said.
"Insurance in Florida
is expensive," Alexander
added. "It's amazing
how it (PIP) has af-
fected everyone's rates."
Email: dwinchester@sun-herald.com

Company eyes Southwest Florida

By DREW WINCHESTER
STAFF WRITER
Blackstone Group,
a New York-based
financial advisory and
asset management
company, has been
buying bank-owned
homes throughout the
state and turning them
into rental properties,
recently moving into
Manatee and Sarasota
counties and possibly
setting its sights on
Charlotte County.
Christine Anderson,
senior vice president in
the company's public
affairs office, would
not confirm or deny an
Associated Press report
that the company was
looking to buy homes in
Charlotte County, citing
competitive interests.
But the company has
already invested heav-
ily in what it considers

the "Tampa market,"
purchasing more homes
in the Tampa Bay area
than anywhere else in
the state.
Blackstone, the
world's largest indepen-
dent asset-management
company, is also pur-
chasing homes in other
states for the same
purpose, but Anderson
declined to elaborate,
saying only the compa-
ny is planning to build
a "national platform"
for its efforts.
In Florida, Anderson
said, 1,600 homes have
been purchased in and
around Tampa, with 64 of
those in Manatee County
and 87 in Sarasota
County. Elsewhere in
the state, Blackstone
purchased 1,000 homes
in the Orlando area, and
500 homes each in the
Miami and Jacksonville
areas.

Anderson could
not confirm the total
value of the purchases,
or name the other
Florida counties where
Blackstone has bought
properties, but de-
scribed the effort as a
"small start-up" that
looks to take a gamble
on the full rebound of
the housing market.
"We're betting on the
recovery," Anderson
said from New York.
"We see the Tampa
market as an interesting
one, with really good,
quality neighborhoods
and homes."
The plan calls for the
properties to be man-
aged by Dallas-based
Riverstone Residential
Group, a property
management company,
whose representatives
did not return calls for
comment.
Anderson called

Riverstone "partners"
in the effort, and said
that the companies will
likely look to use local
contractors and labor
when it comes to reha-
bilitating the homes for
the rental market. She
said the homes are in
"good neighborhoods"
but have been improp-
erly cared for as former
foreclosure properties.
Bob "Fig" Newton,
president of Port
Charlotte-Punta Gorda-
North Port Association
of Realtors, said he had
not heard any definitive
information whether
Blackstone is making
a move into Charlotte
County.
Newton did say that
he feels that the rental
market in the area is
strong, and that the
addition of Blackstone
would only add to the
market's current success.

"They wouldn't waste
their time, their effort
or their monies if they
didn't think the area is
going to grow," Newton
added.
Foreclosure attorney
David Hicks, who has
offices in Sarasota and
across the state, said
that he, too, had not
heard of Blackstone's
rumored move into
Charlotte County, but
thinks that the fore-
closure market, while

recently quieted, will
take another serious
upswing in 2013.
If so, an investment
like Blackstone's could
pay off, as the rental
market will continue
being fed by former
homeowners who have
nowhere else to turn.
"Some are betting
that the turnaround is
going to happen sooner
than later," Hicks said.

By ELAINE ALLEN-EMRICH
STAFF WRITER
An image of Dr. Grigory
Pogrebinsky on TV holding
a $20 bill and stating it's too
little to pay for admission
to Warm Mineral Springs,
is just one of many rumors
circulating throughout
the international commu-
nity. Another is he single-
handedly will take over
the 81-acre day spa with
its 87-degree, mineral-rich
lake and fire everyone to
build up his own empire.
"These are just rumors,"
said the 66-year-old
physician from Brooklyn,
who spent $1.4 million
buying 16 acres of vacant
property that borders the
spa jointly owned by the city
of North Port and Sarasota
County. "People are afraid
of development of any kind.
They don't understand it
and haven't talked to me, so
instead they are spreading
rumors. The fact is I do not
have the means to set prices
at the spa. The governments
own it and they should be
deciding the prices and who

By ELAINE ALLEN-EMRICH
STAFF WRITER
Dr. Grigory Pogrebinsky
says his team of physi-
cians and college
administrators can open
facilities on 16 acres bor-
dering the Warm Mineral
Springs Day Spa that will
facilitate medical tour-
ism. For example, once
Pogrebinsky builds a ho-
tel across from the spa, he
would like to offer guests
discounted packages to
use at the place many call
"miracle lake" as part of
their physical therapy and
healing regimen.
Pogrebinsky said
commissioners delayed
progress of the Springs'
future after three of
them voted last month
to sell the city's interest
in the 81 acres. It owns a
50 percent interest in the
land; Sarasota County
owns the other half.
County commissioners
asked the city to respond
by letter in 30 days to its
objections to a 74-page
proposal for an invita-
tion to negotiate for any
businesses interested in
a long-term contract for
the development and
operations of the Springs.
The city and county
would collect revenue
from the business se-
lected to run the spa.
During a Dec. 18
meeting to discuss the
ITN, North Port City
Commissioner Cheryl
Cook said the Springs is a
"project better left to the
private sector."
Mayor Linda Yates
agreed it's hard to keep
up with all of the conver-
sation about the spa.
"What's most concern-
ing to the public right now
is the public didn't vote on
the purchase; the elected
officials decided on how
to use the public money
for purchase of property,
and it's the 'could' that's
problematic," she said.
"Because we put out there
what we were going to do
with it preservation,
conservation, public use
and park-like setting, and
now we are going back on
that, saying, 'You know
what? Maybe the private
sector knows best.'" Cook
agreed.
"The ITN to me from
the beginning struck me
as an unserious offer,"
Cook said. "When we're
out there dealing with
the investment com-
munity, they remember
things like this. So what's
going to happen when
we have a serious offer
for an investment in
the future? How's our
reputation going to stand
in that regard?"
Commissioner Jim
Blucher said the busi-
ness sector (including
the North Port Chamber
of Commerce and

can work there, not me."
Couple the rumors
about the doctor planning
to hike prices along with
unproven claims that the
Springs water is polluted
with minute plastic particles
that could cause diarrhea
and other illnesses, and it
scares users of the city and
county's $5.5 million jewel,
Pogrebinsky said.
Pogrebinsky said the
health of the spa is impera-
tive to his own future, and
he would never try to
jeopardize its well-being
or loyal users. Instead, the
Ukraine-bor doctor, who
for nearly two decades
practiced primarily ortho-
pedic and pain medicine,
as well as physical reha-
bilitation, plans to open
a hotel across the street
from the spa on his land.
The hotel would be run by
interns from the University
of South Florida Schools
of Health and Hospitality.
He also has plans for a
two-story medical-wellness
teaching facility, with 24
residential recovery units
on the second floor, at the

Economic Development
boards) has said it
wants to see some of the
property developed.
Yates said government
doesn't belong in the
for-profit business.
After the vote to sell
the Springs, no public
comment was taken.
City commissioners
must discuss a proposal
on what to do with the
Springs spa and who will
run it if it doesn't sell
before June 30 when the

corner of De Leon Avenue
and Ortiz Boulevard, near
the Springs. The facility will
provide medical guidance
to visitors from doctors as to
how to best use the Springs
consistent with their medi-
cal conditions, he said.
"I represent a team of
dedicated Floridians phy-
sicians, engineers, architects,
attorneys and the University
of South Florida Schools
of Health and Hospitality
- ready to go forward in
establishing a much-needed
medical-wellness center and
hotel with teaching facilities
next to the Springs," he
said. "This approach would
alleviate the ecological,
hydrological, environmental
and other impacts on the
Springs property.
"We have a comprehen-
sive plan of how to draw
on the healthy Springs
as a powerful economic
engine that makes signifi-
cant contributions to the
local economy, supports
new jobs and generates
substantial taxes, while
sustaining green environ-
mental development."

current lease ends. The
county also must vote on

Pogrebinsky was pre-
pared to submit an invita-
tion to negotiate to the city
and county that would
preserve the majority of the
land but add more medical
tourism to the area.
"I wanted commissioners
to spell out what they want-
ed in the ITN," he said. "Did
they want the parking area
improved outside the spa, or
the cyclorama (a historical
building on the property)
restored? The spa should
be a place for prevention,
rehabilitation, rejuvenation
and relaxation, and a public
park. (City commissioners)
saying they want to sell the
entire Springs just delays the
process."
Local attorney Kevin
Russell, who is represent-
ing Pogrebinsky, said city
commission discussions
have become confusing.
"Government is getting
in the way of progress," he
said. "If they don't make
decisions, no one can move
forward. They've been at
this for two years. We still
have no real answers."
Email: eallen@sun-herald.com

Recent research suggests that heart attack
patients can significantly reduce their risk of a
non-fatal recurrence by engaging in an
intensive, long-term prevention program.
After participating in a standard period of
post heart attack rehabilitation, patients who
enrolled in a multi-faceted education and
behavioral intervention program were found
to significantly reduce their individual
incidence of heart events. The program
included sessions that helped patients with
lifestyle factors such as exercise, diet, and

weight control. The importance of this study
rests with the fact that heart attack patients
can help themselves by adopting healthy
lifestyle changes that give their bodies the best
chance of surviving. Chiropractic has long
promoted healthy lifestyle behaviors as a
means of disease prevention and wellness
attainment.
P.S. Anyone who overcomes joint dysfunction
and gets his or her body moving stands a good
chance of maintaining good health.

*THE PATIENT AND ANY OTHER PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT HASA RIGHT TO REFUSE TO PAY, CANCEL
PAYMENT, OR BE REIMBURSED FOR PAYMENT FOR ANY OTHER SERVICE, EXAMINATION, OR TREATMENT THAT IS
PERFORMEDASA RESULT OF ANDWITHIN 72 HOURS OF RESPONDING TO THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE FREE,
MM14015 DISCOUNTED FEE, OR REDUCED FEE SERVICE, EXAMINATION, OR TREATMENT Lic# 14016

22.99
1800
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Prices effective Thursday, January 3
through Wednesday, January 9, 2013.
Liquor items are only available at Publix Liquors.
Visit publix.com/store to find the store nearest you.
Must be 21 years of age or older to purchase
alcoholic beverages. Quantity limits per customer apply.

NO INTEREST UNTIL JANUARY 2014 WITH SAME DAY PICKUP OR NEXT DAY DELIVERY.

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By KIM COOL
FEATURES EDITOR
Year-long celebrations
in Venice honored the
city's 85th anniversary,
the Orchid Society's 50th
anniversary, the Sun
Fiesta's 40th anniversary,
the Silver Foxes' 20th
anniversary, third an-
niversary of the city's BBQ
Bash and the birth of the
Venice International Book
Fair & Writer's Festival.
The 85th anniversary
was well covered by the
city's information of-
ficer, Pam Johnson, who
contributed several
history stories relating
to city anniversary dates
and celebration events to
the Venice Gondolier Sun.
Many of those stories
were recently reprinted
in the paper's Discover
Venice collector's edition.
Some of the photos
that accompanied those
stories are reprinted here
as we take another look
back at the history of this
John Nolen-planned city
into which the first flight
came in 1927, followed
eight years later by the
city's first airfield, which
was named in honor of
Dr. Fred Albee, the famed
orthopedic surgeon who
hired Nolen to create the
plan for Venice.
That field was dedicat-
ed in 1939, just four years
before the opening of
the city's second airport
- the Venice Army Air
base, which was used to
train fighter pilots during
World War II. Today that
field is known as Venice
Municipal Airport.
The Albee field is gone.
The Venice Gondolier Sun,
Venice Elementary School
and Venice High School
are on some of that
property.
In keeping with the
city's aviation legacy,
the Collings Foundation
returned for its annual
visit, bringing a B-24, a
B-17 and a P-51 Mustang.
Those planes will return
again Jan. 25-27.
The year 1927 also
marked the incorporation
of the city of Venice, which
led to this year of anniver-
sary celebrations. Many
events celebrated this
past year were inspired by
events held that first year
- events such as a beach
party. Today's beachgoers
dress a bit differently.
A few, however, may
drive 1927-era cars. At the
25th annual Collector's
Car Show, members of
the Venice region of the
Antique Automobile Club
of America showed off
their prized possessions.
Proceeds from the show
benefit local scholarships.
Also celebrating
25 years is Sharky's
Restaurant at the Pier. On
Dec. 20 a time capsule
was buried beneath the
restaurant's new addition
to be opened on the 50th
anniversary according to
owner Mike Pachota.
Already 50 is the Venice
Area Orchid Club. Started
in 1962, the club assists
zoology students at
Venice High School and
sponsors an annual show.
Members come from
three neighboring coun-
ties. An orchid is raffled at
each meeting.
Sun Fiesta, sponsored
by Women's Sertoma
Club, celebrated its
40th anniversary as the
ultimate end-of-summer
party. Proceeds benefit
the club's hearing project
and several other local
causes.

I .
PHOTO COURTESY OF VENICE AREA ORCHID SOCIETY
Venice Mayor John Holic congratulates Venice Area Orchid Society President Cynthia Vance on the
organization's 50th anniversary, celebrated at its April 4 meeting.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PUBLISHER
Novelist David Hagberg spoke about his novels and the Air Force
career that inspired many of his tales during the 2012 book fair
in Venice.

Shirley Gawne, 90, in a costume from a recent Silver Foxes
production at Venice Theatre.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEIRDRE CALLANAN

PHOTO COURTESY OF WILLIMA MORROW
Author Tim Dorsey was a featured speaker at the 2012 Venice International Book Fair.

I

PHOTO COURTESY OF VENICE AACA CLUB

Street rods were displayed on North Nokomis Avenue at the 2011 Collector Car Show.

ODA

LAW GROUP, PA
WE HELP PEOPLE GET BACK ON THEIR FEET

Benches dedicated to deceased regulars at the North Jetty Fish
201215 Campdotthearea.

Cold and flu myths and facts

By NANCY CHURNIN
THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS

Nobody wants the
common cold as a guest,
but the upper respiratory
infection keeps knocking
at the door, never more
frequently than dur-
ing the winter holiday
season.
Some experts have
suggested it offers a
service in building up a
child's general immuni-
ties. Bah, humbug to
the cold bug on that,
responds Dr. Jeffrey S.
Kahn, director of infec-
tious diseases in the
department of pediatrics
at University of Texas
Southwestern Medical
Center.
"I would not favor
exposing young infants
to respiratory viruses as
this can lead to lower
respiratory tract disease
like pneumonia and
upper respiratory tract
infections, which often
lead to otitis media (ear
infections) which can
be serious and lead to
increased use of antibiot-
ics not good," Kahn
said. "While I agree that
there may be a prevailing
germ phobia in our cul-
ture and not all microbes
are bad, I would not put
the cold viruses in this
category."
That said, here's a look
at common myths and
how best to prevent and
fight colds, according to
Kahn and to Dr. Amber

Hyde, an independent
primary care physician
at Methodist Mansfield
Medical Center; Dr. Paul
Kim, a family practi-
tioner associated with
Baylor Regional Medical
Center at Grapevine;
and Dr. Janna Massar,
an internist associ-
ated with Texas Health
Presbyterian Hospital
Plano.
Colds are caused by
cold weather.
No, they are caused by
viruses. However, you
might be more sus-
ceptible to colds in the
winter months because
you tend to go indoors in
crowded environments
where you are more
likely to pick up other
people's viruses. Plus,
there are some strains of
cold viruses that thrive
in the cold, and cold
weather can dry out
your sinuses, making
them more vulnerable to
infection.
You can catch a
cold by going outside
with wet hair or damp
clothes.
No, but being wet can
weaken your immune
system, which makes it
more likely that you can
catch a cold.
It's easy to spot a cold.
No, it can be chal-
lenging to diagnose
because there's a lot of
overlap among upper
respiratory infections.
Untreated allergies
can lead to colds, and

colds can be a breeding
ground for bacterial
infections. You can help
your doctor distinguish
between an allergy
and cold by telling him
or her if you get your
symptoms consistently
at specific times of year
when certain allergens
might be in play.
The best cure is
vitamin C.
No, there's no proof
that vitamin C helps,
but vitamins C and B-12
have fans among medical
professionals, and they
can't hurt.
Some experts strongly
recommend zinc loz-
enges, but because of
divergent studies, the
National Institutes of
Health only asserts "zinc
lozenges might be useful
as a treatment option."
It recommends more
research and caution,
particularly after the
U.S. Food and Drug
Administration warned
consumers to stop using
three Zicam intranasal
cold-remedy products
containing zinc when
some users lost their
sense of smell.
In contrast, studies
show that good old
chicken soup, which
seems to have anti-
inflammatory properties,
might reduce the length
and severity of colds.
Drinking lots of fluids,
gargling with salt water
and breathing warm,
humidified air that

moistens your sinuses
can help, too, by easing
congestion.
You're less likely to get
sick if you wash your
hands and use hand
sanitizers.
Yes, hand sanitizers
can reduce your chances
of getting sick by killing
the viruses that cause the
common cold. Washing
hands frequently with
soap and water for
30 seconds at a time is
recommended. Kissing
and hugging people
who have colds is not
recommended.
You should rush to
the doctor at the first
symptom for antibiotics.
No, antibiotics can
only kill bacteria in a
bacterial infection; a
cold is a viral infection
for which there is no
cure. Doctors vary on
how soon an otherwise
healthy adult should go
in for help. Some believe
you can lessen the
severity and duration
of the cold by prompt,
aggressive action, while
others say you should
wait it out unless you
have severe vomiting,
nausea or diarrhea or
severe shortness of
breath, because those
symptoms indicate a
bacterial infection, flu or
asthma. Kids, the elderly
and those with weak-
ened immune systems
are the most vulnerable
and should be treated
right away.

The flu is just a big
cold wait it out.
No, the flu is a virus,
as the cold is, but you
should seek treatment
right away as the flu has
the potential to be life
threatening. Deaths in
a three-decade period
ranged from 3,000 to
as high as 49,000 per
season, while an aver-
age of 200,000 people
a year are hospitalized,
according to the Centers
for Disease Control and
Prevention.
You know you're
dealing with the flu,
rather than a cold, if your
temperature is 103 F or
greater and you have a
sudden onset of high
fever, body aches and
pains in six hours or less,
which is not the case for
colds.
Better yet, don't wait
to get the flu, say the
experts at the CDC's
National Center for
Immunization and
Respiratory Diseases. If
you haven't been vac-
cinated yet, they advise
getting immunized now
- particularly children,
senior citizens, pregnant
women or those with
chronic medical condi-
tions such as asthma,
diabetes and heart
disease, as these factors
put you at high risk
for serious flu-related
complications.
The vaccine usually
takes one to two weeks to
give protective immunity,

but the flu season typi-
cally lasts six to eight
weeks or longer.
Plus, the good news,
according to the CDC, is
that this season's vaccine
should protect against
most of the flu viruses
that have been currently
identified.
Colds take a long time
to germinate.
No, if you are infected,
it should happen within
24 hours.
Colds are not
dangerous.
Yes, they aren't dan-
gerous for an otherwise
healthy adult. But if
they're untreated and
get worse, they can
weaken even a healthy
adult's body, precipitate
an asthma attack and
make you a candidate
for bacterial infection
and other illnesses
that can be danger-
ous, including bacte-
rial bronchitis and viral
pneumonia.
Scientists are close to
finding a cure for the
common cold.
No, it's impracti-
cal to look for a cure
when the viruses that
cause colds are con-
stantly changing. The
best offense is a good
defense. Strengthen
your immune system
with a healthy diet,
exercise and sleep, and
remember to wash your
hands and to treat the
symptoms at the first
sign of trouble.

winter season hours are
Saturday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.,
and Monday, Wednesday
and Friday 10 a.m.-
3 p.m. Docent tours are
available or visitors may
self guide. No entrance
fee but donations are
accepted. Call 941-412-
0151 or go to depot@
veniceareahistorical
society.org.

Jimmy Mazz
at the Gazebo
Jimmy Mazz will per-
form a free concert at the
Gazebo Jan. 4, 7-9 p.m.
Bring a blanket, chair
and enjoy the concert.

In order to provide"one-stop shopping"for area
event listings, the Venice Gondolier Sun is consoli-
dating calendar items into a single location. The
Venue calendar includes library, senior, Well-Being
and religion events as well as community events.
We have moved to a reader-submission model for
all of these items.
To get your events printed in the newspaper, they
must be submitted via our website, www.venice-
gondoliersun.com. On the left, click on "Community
Calendar,"then click on "Submit Event"and fill in
the appropriate fields. You must enter the location,
address and phone number in the "Print Edition Text"
box for it to print.

Perlman Winter
Residency
Through Jan. 5,
the Perlman Music
Program/Suncoast
will hold its Sarasota
Winter Residency at
University of South
Florida Sarasota-
Manatee. Students
from around the globe,
aged 12 to 20, receive
unparalleled instruc-
tion from Mr. Perlman
and internationally
acclaimed music faculty.
Tickets are available
through the Perlman
Music Program's website,
PMPSuncoast.org, for

Deadlines: For events to run in Wednesday's paper,
the deadline is 1 p.m. Monday. For events to run in
Saturday's paper, the deadline is 1 p.m. Thursday.
In order to print as many events as possible, we will
print a maximum of four lines per event at no cost. You
may purchase additional space for $10 per day, per
event, per edition. Simply choose"Paid Listing"on the
"Submit Event"page on the website. All paid listings
will run in the location designated for the event type.
We will only allow one submission per event, per
day. If your event runs for more than one day, you will
need to submit a separate form for each day. Multiple
submissions of the same event for the same date may
result in all the related events being removed.

a $5 online processing
fee. Seating is first-come,
first-served; free tickets
may be available on
campus 15 minutes
before each event.
Unless otherwise noted,
all events are located
in a heated tent at USF
Sarasota-Manatee, 8350
North Tamiami Trail,
Sarasota.

YMCA hosts 5K
South County Family
YMCA-Venice hosts its
annual Resolution Run
5K on the first Saturday
of the month Jan. 5.
Start time is 7:30 a.m.

* SUNDAY, Jan. 13
Young Fam Fellowship,
FCYFF is for young families w/kids, to
get together for fun & food. It's held at
Rotonda Park @ 4:30 pm 475-7447

at Maxine Barritt Park.
The 3.1-mile event is
ideal for runners, joggers
and walkers of all fitness
levels. Cost: $20. Call
941-492-9622.

Draw at the beach
Madge Meyer of-
fers free drawing at
the beach Saturday,
10-11 a.m., at Maxine
Barritt Park and
Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday, 10-11 a.m.
at Venice Beach through
the end of April. Bring
a chair, art pencil
and sketchbook. Call
941-234-3498.

NCJW honors Women in Power

FROM NATIONAL COUNCIL OF
JEWISH WOMEN
The National Council
of Jewish Women,
Sarasota-Manatee
Section's annual Women
in Power Luncheon will
be Wednesday, Jan. 16,
at Michael's on East at
11:30 a.m. The event will
honor four women whose
accomplishments mirror
NCJW's focus on social
justice by improving the
lives of women, children
and families and by
safeguarding individual
rights and freedoms.
"This is a wonderful
way to support NCJW's
local community ser-
vice projects and hear
motivational stories of
how these women have
added to the richness of
our community," said co-
chairs Myna Stoltz and
Joanne Trachtenberg.

Judy Cahn
Since arriving in
Sarasota from Nashville
in 2001, Cahn has made
her mark in the nonprofit
world. Her passion for
supporting the com-
munity and its organiza-
tions is shown through
her commitment as a
current board member
at Planned Parenthood,
Sarasota Ballet and
Gulf Coast Community
Foundation. She has

served as board chair
at Jewish Family and
Children's Services, which
still holds a special place
in her heart, treasurer of
iTN Sarasota and board
member of American
Jewish Committee.
Her organizational
skills have served her
well over the years
as co-chair of several
events, including NCJW's
Women in Power
Luncheon, American
Jewish Congress Dinner,
JFCS Celebrity Chef
and its gala, Planned
Parenthood's dinner
and the first "Make a
Difference Day" under
the umbrella of Senior
Friendship Centers.

Dolly Jacobs
In 1997, Dolly Jacobs
and Pedro Reis created
Circus Sarasota as the
only professional, non-
profit circus in Florida,
showcasing many of the
world's finest artists and
entertainers. She contin-
ues to dazzle audiences
with her spectacular
aerial artistry, while earn-
ing praise from a grateful
community for her
leadership role in Circus
Sarasota's outreach
programs. Laughter
Unlimited brings the
magic of the circus to
nursing homes and

other care facilities. Big
Top Education provides
circus-themed curricula
for local schools to cap-
ture students' interests
while helping academics
come alive.
In 2011, Circus Sarasota
acquired the Sailor Circus,
a program that enables
students from fourth to
12th grade to experience
circus arts. She coaches
the students on the Roman
rings and aerial straps.
Considered one of
the brightest stars of the
American circus, she
was inducted into the
1997 Circus Ring of Fame
on St. Armand's Circle,
was inducted into the
Celebrity Hall of Fame by
Sarasota's John and Mable
Ringling Museum of Art
and won several awards
at the International Circus
Festival of Monte Carlo.

Maureen A.
Maguire, M.D.
As a board-certified
OB/GYN for 24 years,
Maguire works tirelessly
to enhance the lives of
women on a daily basis.
Possessing deep-seated
passion and a fervent
desire to improve the
lives of others, she is
dedicated to protecting
reproductive rights,
promoting the well-being
of women and preserving

the separation of religion
and state through public
advocacy and by moti-
vating others to do so
with equal enthusiasm.
She actively supports
more than a dozen local
organizations, including
American Cancer Society,
Planned Parenthood, the
Sarasota Film Festival
and UNIFEM. She
has also been actively
involved as a team leader
in Making Strides Against
Breast Cancer for several
years and is recognized
as being one of its top
10 local fundraisers.
She is married to Doug
Kuperman, M.D., and
they have two daughters.

Gloria B. Moss
Moss fights for the
underdog and works
against injustice. When she
first moved to Sarasota in
1956, she confronted the
Sarasota school system to
ensure that Jewish children
would be able to attend
High Holy Day services
without penalty. She reg-
istered as a substitute
teacher in the 1960s to en-
sure there would not be an
interruption in education
when the teachers went on
strike. She continued her
passion as past president
(several times) of Sarasota
Hadassah and is a board
member of The Pines

PHOTO COURTESY OF JAN SEGAL

Dolly Jacobs, known for her leadership role in Circus Sarasota's
outreach programs and her aerial artistry, will be honored
at the National Council of Jewish Women's Women in Power
luncheon Jan. 16.

of Sarasota, Designing
Women and Sarasota
Opera Guild.
Moss, a life member of
NCJW, an Angel Patron
and former Women in
Power Chair, is also a long-
time supporter of more
than a dozen other non-
profits, including Circus
Sarasota, West Coast
Black Theatre Troupe
and Girls Inc. Gloria was
married for 58 years and
has three daughters,

including NCJW member
Marian Moss. As a former
Copacabana girl, she
now enjoys competitive
ballroom dancing.
The cost is $65. For a
personal invitation or
more information call
941-342-1855.
Inspired by Jewish val-
ues, NCJW is a grassroots
organization of volun-
teers and advocates who
turn progressive ideas
into action.

The Venice Cat
Coalition, which oper-
ates in South Sarasota
and Charlotte counties,
recently received a grant
from Petco that will
help it provide spay and
neuter services to cats in
the greater Port Charlotte
area, as well as in parts of
North Port.
Theresa Foley, execu-
tive director of the VCC,
said the organization ap-
plied for the $3,000 "Port
Charlotte Spay-Neuter
for Families" project

around Thanksgiving.
"We're an adoption
partner with Petco and
have been for three
years," she said. "They
have been donating
other things writing
checks when they have
campaigns to raise mon-
ey for rescue groups and
donated food to us early
on and have an active
foundation that gives
grants to active rescues,
and I knew there was a
component for spay and
neuter programs."
Spay-neuter services
are set to start in January.
The project will sterilize

a minimum of 90-100
pet cats within a 10-mile
radius of the Petco store
near the intersection
of U.S. 41 and Cochran
Boulevard in Port
Charlotte.
Although that covers
some of North Port, Foley
said North Port residents
- even those outside
the 10-mile range are
invited to apply.
"If anyone needs these
services, they should ap-
ply for them and we will
seek additional sources
of funding," she said.
"We would like to see
as many of the cats as

we can, the female cats
especially, because we
deal with an awful lot of
kitten births."
Foley said the VCC
presented Petco with the
idea. She believes Petco
is setting a precedent in
recognizing the impor-
tance of sterilizing cats
to control feline over-
population and eliminate
numerous resulting
problems, including
shelter euthanasia and
high burdens placed
upon Charlotte County
Animal Services.
The coalition currently
sterilizes 70-100 feral cats

per month in Charlotte
County through donated
services, and the Petco
grant will help them
extend their services,
especially to low or fixed-
income residents who
have previously not been
able to have their pets
spayed or neutered.
Applications for the
services are available on
the Coalition's website.
Foley said that is the
VCC's preferred method
of receiving requests, but
those interested can also
call. Some forms will also
be available at Petco in
Murdock.

Foley said the coalition
is also seeking more vet-
erinarians who can help
perform the procedures.
"We are working with a
small number of vets in
Port Charlotte and North
Port, but I could use a
few more vets that would
be willing to do low-cost
spay and neuter under
the grant program," she
said.
To apply for free or
low-cost surgery, go to
www.VeniceCatCoalition.
com and fill out a
request form, or call
941-525-4568.
Email: annek@sun-herald.com

Bears in your backyard

By DANA SANCHEZ
ENGLEWOOD SUN EDITOR
Mary Lundeberg loves
photographing black
bears. Unfortunately, there
are no bears
in Charlotte
and Sarasota
Counties,
right?
Well, not
really.
Over the
LUNDEBERG past 12
years there
have been 13 sightings
of bears in Charlotte
County and three in
Sarasota, according to
the Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation
Commission.
Lundeberg, a full-time
Englewood resident, is
a professor emeritus
of Michigan State
University and the
University of Wisconsin-
River Falls. She writes
children's nature stories
and contributes conser-
vation photographs to
nature organizations.
Lundeberg learned
about local sightings of
bears from Sarah Barrett
with the FWC.
Barrett reviewed FWC's
records since 2000 to the
present and found that
2010 had been a particu-
larly good year for bear
sightings in Charlotte
County, with 10 reported.
Unlike grizzly bears
out West or polar bears
in Alaska, black bears in
Florida are not aggres-
sive, according to www.
floridawildlifecorridor.
org. Rather than attack
humans, they use their
long, sharp claws to
scurry up trees to avoid
us.
They hide in the forests
and cypress swamps of
Florida. Before develop-
ment, bears occupied
all of Florida; now
they primarily live in
wildlife corridors such
as Big Cypress National
Preserve. FWC estimates
3,000 bears live there.
In July, the Sun papers
reported that a black
bear captured on Sanibel
Island in June and
relocated by wildlife of-
ficials to a wildlife refuge
in Citrus County showed
up in Busch Gardens, in
Tampa.
The bear, nicknamed
"Sanibear" after he
eluded capture for more
than a year in Sanibel,
made the news many
times in Lee County
before being captured
June 20 by the FWC.
Sanibear likely started
life in the Big Cypress
National Preserve black
bear population, ac-
cording to Gary Morse,
spokesman for FWC in
Lakeland.
"Fairly often they
wind up in downtown
Fort Myers," Morse said.
"If you live in Orlando,
you're really familiar
(with bears.)"
Although they can be

..

P T PR OVD,,BY MR

.i

PB

., ~ ~ ~~ .- .., .

> q 4 :t-
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY MARY LUNDEBERG

Cubs explore a tree.

A black bear cub enjoys a tasty leaf.

found anywhere in the
state certain areas
have high densities

- black bears are
listed as "threatened" in
Florida. Bear hunting is

not permitted and it is
illegal to feed them.
Email: dsanchez@sun-herald.com

Looking more "teddy" than bear, male black bears, sometimes
called boars, can weigh up to 400 pounds, more than twice
female bears. They store food in their bellies for cooler months.
All these bear photos were taken in Orr, Minn.

NORTH PORT -The
city is seeking vendors
and sponsors for the
upcoming second Nature
Environmental Festival.
The city is also seeking
nominations for the
Greenest Citizen Award,
and the winner will be
recognized at the festival.
The free festival
for the whole family
will take place from
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 9
at Myakkahatchee

Creek Environmental
Park, located on 6968
Reistertown Road in
North Port Estates. The
public is invited to learn
about Florida's wildlife,
plants, trees and heritage
with the help of the city
arborist, park natural-
ists, archaeologists and
more. Activities include
crafts to make and take,
live entertainment and
guest speakers. Food and
drinks will be available
for purchase.
In addition, the win-
ner of the city's annual
Greenest Citizen Award

will be announced.
Know of someone who
methodically recycles?
Perhaps there is some-
one you know who
continuously plants
native "Florida Friendly"
landscaping in their yard
and helps others do the
same.
In honor of Florida
Arbor Day in January,
the city is seeking
nominations for its
Greenest Citizen. The
award program is
designed to recognize
a North Porter who has
gone above and beyond

to protect the environ-
ment by creating a more
sustainable household
or community.
Residents are en-
couraged to fill out a
nomination form on
the city's new citizen
engagement website,
www.yournorthport.
com, by no later than
5 p.m. on Jan. 11.
Beginning Jan. 16,
the public will be able
to vote on who should
win the Greenest Citizen
Award. Voting will end on
Feb. 1.
"The Greenest Citizen

Award is set up so that
residents can decide
who they think should
be recognized for out-
standing environmental
stewardship," said Ryan
Pieper, city arborist.
"Arbor Day is all about
being environmentally
aware and protecting
the environment.
Sometimes, it's not al-
ways 'easy to be green.'
We wanted to honor
folks who take that extra
step and make a differ-
ence in others' lives."
This is the fourth
consecutive year the city

has hosted the Greenest
Citizen Award. To nomi-
nate someone, visit http://
yournorthport.com/
surveys/nominations-for-
greenest-citizen-award.
For more informa-
tion about the contest
and the Arbor Day
celebration, contact
Pieper at 941-429-7055 or
rpieper@cityofnorthport.
com. For more informa-
tion, or to be a vendor
or sponsor for the event,
contact Kathy Forsyth
941-240-8120 or email
kforsyth@cityofnorth
port.com.

2012
FROM PAGE 1

Celebrating 20 years
are the Silver Foxes -
the 50-and-over dance
troupe at Venice Theatre.
Shirley Gawne, 90, one
of its founders, just hung
up her shoes this season.
For her efforts, she
leaves with incredible
legs. The dance troupe
is featured annually in
the theater's Silver Fox
Review. Proceeds benefit
the theater's ever-ex-
panding educational
efforts.
Members of Venice
Theatre's creative team
collaborated with
director Paul Bourne
and writer Craig Baxter
in the creation of "Stand
By Your Van," which had
its world premier at the
theater in April.
Dec. 19-21 Venice
Theatre celebrated the
11th anniversary of Eric
Watters as Scrooge in
the theater's annual pro-
duction of "A Christmas
Carol." During the year
in between, Watters
underwent several
operations which make
the 11th anniversary
appearance especially
meaningful to this area's
most popular song-and-
dance man and to his
many fans.
Celebrating just three
years but making a big
impact on the city was
the Suncoast BBQ Bash.
Nearly 5,000 people
attended the event
which is a fundraiser for
Suncoast Foundation for
Handicapped Children.
Organized by Don Fisher
who has had a hand in
raising some $14 million
for SFHC, the event is
considered "the biggest
professional barbecue
cookoff in Southwest
Florida."
"We want it to be the
most sought-after event
on the circuit," Fisher
said. "That's our goal,
and we're close."
As a qualifier for some
major national cook-offs,
the event draws some of
the country's top profes-
sionals. A companion
BBQ school drew cooks
from as far away as
Arizona.
So new it was not
eligible for an an-
niversary was the first

PHOTO COURTESY OF
VENICE ARCHIVES AND HISTORICAL COLLECTION
Francis (Frank) Higel is credited with choosing the name Venice
for the area because of its similarity to Venice, Italy.

I ,

74'MM

'4

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHIRLEY GAWNE

International Book Fair
& Writers Festival which
offered books for sale
from booths set up on
Nokomis Avenue down-
town and talks at Venice
Theatre by such celebrity
writers as Tim Dorsey,
Lois Duncan and David
Hagberg.
Founded in 1984, the
Venice Corps of the
Salvation Army did not
celebrate an anniver-
sary although it could
certainly celebrate the

fact that it was able to
help 20,000 area people
from Osprey to the
Charlotte County line.
More than $2 million
in aid ranging from
Christmas dinners and
Angel Tree gifts to bus
passes, rent and utility
bill assistance, food
and more was given to
those in need.
The army also spon-
sors after-school pro-
grams for children and
daytime programs for

SUN PHOTO BY KIM COOL

Martha and Jerry Jarrett of Venice accepted an award on behalf of Venice Presbyterian Church for
the many man-hours donated to the annual Christmas Kettle Drive by church members.

PHOTO COURTESY OF VENICE ARCHIVES AND AREA HISTORICAL COLLECTION

seniors. The Venice corps
is directed by Lts. Samuel
and Christine Kim.
The Gulf Coast
Community Foundation
will sponsor the second
festival, scheduled for
April 6.
Neighboring Nokomis
was featured in a series
of articles about its
North Jetty Fish Camp,
written by Gondolier
Sun correspondent
Deirdre Callanan who
divides her time between

Nokomis and Cape Cod.
The articles are from her
unpublished manuscript,
"Beauty, Sorrow and a
Raggedy Heart: A History
of the North Jetty Fish
Camp."
Bob Vedder, retired
publisher of the Venice
Gondolier Sun, was
inducted into the Florida
Press Association's Hall
of Fame. Vedder is a
past FPA president and
a current member of
the FPA Foundation

board of trustees. He is a
member of the Southern
Newspaper Publishers
Association Small
Newspapers Committee
and vice president of
Sun Coast Media Group,
parent company of the
Gondolier Sun.
These are but a few of
the people and orga-
nizations that made a
difference in Our Town
in 2012.

Email: kcool@venicegondolier.com

Charlotte Premier

U-12 boys play

Houston Dynamo

SUN PHOTO BY MONICA AMAYA
On the right, Brock MacDonell, a sixth-grader at Venice Middle School and No. 17 for
Charlotte Premier U-12 boys team, plays midfielder during a recent game against
the Houston Dynamo team from Tampa, at North County Regional Park in Port
Charlotte. The local team is coached by Ralph Garcia and won 2-0.

-J 'tCLt ". I

/^ / -.

{/~ Y5

Irene Fisher, left, and Shirley Gawne were the originators of the It is believed Capt. George Haldeman was the first pilot to land in Venice, arriving Jan. 13, 1927,
Silver Fox dance troupe. to deliver strawberries to the new Hotel Venice.

38 Instrument that
often sits on the
floor while played
39 Tornado
response gp.
44 Natural light show
46 Order to a boxer
47 Like some
numerals and
noses
48 The "It Girl" Bow
49 Georgetown
hoopsters

I GOREN BRIDGE
WEEKLY BRIDGE QUIZ ANSWERS

Q 1 As South, vulnerable, you hold:
4AK8652AAQJ<095447

The bidding has proceeded:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
16 Pass 21 Pass
What do you bid now?

A We know many players rebid a
six-card major regardless of the rest
of the hand, and indeed that would be
our choice had the heart and diamond
holdings been reversed. But we think
that a holding of three of the top
honors in partner's suit is too strong
to suppress, and our choice would be
three hearts.

The bidding has proceeded:
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
IV 20 Pass ?
What action do you take'?

A If you were even contemplating
bidding no trump, where is your
source of tricks? The general rule
with a misfit is to get out of the
auction as soon as possible, so pass
and hope that your scattered values
arc enough for partner to scramble
eight tricks.

Q 3 Neither vulnerable, as South,
you hold:

SA Q 9 6 5 2 K J 9 5 0> 64A9

The bidding has proceeded:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
16 Pass 26 Pass
What do you bid now?

A If you are among those who
always rebid a six-card major, you
have no problem. We prefer trying to
distinguish between minimum
opening bids and better holdings. We
think this virtually all prime hand
with 14 high-card points and the ace
in responder's suit is better than
minimum, so we would rebid two
hearts.

Q 4 Vulnerable, as South, you hold:
4 8 7 A109 0 A Q763 K Q 98

The bidding has proceeded:
SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST
10> 14 22 Pass
What do you bid now?

A Your hand is too good for an
immediate heart raise. Bid three
clubs and, should partner then take a
preference to diamonds, jump to four
hearts to pinpoint your singleton
spade.

Q 5 Both vulnerable, as South, you
hold:
A A Q82 ~ Q 10 6 5 2 A 6 482

The bidding has proceeded:
NORTH EAST SOUTH
14 Pass IV
2NT Pass ?
What do you bid now?

WEST
Pass

A Slam beckons, but there is no
need to do anything more than
continue to describe your holding to
probe for the best final contract. The
obvious way to proceed is to show
your second suit, even though partner
probably does not hold four spades.
Bid three spades.

Q 6 As South, vulnerable, you hold:
SA 6 6 0 Q 10 2 K QJ 9 8 5 3

The bidding has proceeded:
WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH
24* Pass Pass 34
Pass 30 Pass ?
*weak
What action do you take?
A Did you think of anything other
than three no trump? If so, we can't
think of a reason why. Partner still
has a chance to bid if, for any valid
reason, he wants to look for another
contract.
(Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers'
responses sent in care of this newspaper
or to Tribune Media Services Inc., 20/0
Westridge Drive, Irving, TX 75038.
E-mail responses may be sent to
gorenbridge@aol.com.)

new ones added regularly.
By visiting the State of
Reform page, viewers
will access an interactive
map displaying bold,
state-level education poli-
cies the Foundation has
had a role in passing or
implementing.
Visitors can also
explore the Student
Achievement page to get
a snapshot of a state's
student achievement
levels and to compare
learning in that state
with others across the
nation. This page allows
users to create graphs
charting and contrasting
National Assessment of

FROM FOUNDATION FOR
EXCELLENCE
As lawmakers prepare
to pursue student-cen-
tered reforms in the new
year, the Foundation for
Excellence in Education
is launching Phase 1 of
a new website. The new
website is designed to
empower and aid educa-
tion reformers as they
advance bold policies to
transform education.
Those curious about
the state of education
reform throughout the
nation or in a specific
state will find a host of
resources available, with

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Educational Progress
records from their
choices of states and
student groups. Through
this medium, anyone
can explore data indicat-
ing whether student
achievement is improv-
ing or determine the
state of the achievement
gap between minor-
ity and non-minority
students.
To learn about the
Foundation's mission,
history and reform
agenda, visit the About
Us section. Check out
The EdFly Blog to join the
conversation on student-
centered education

reform, and be sure
to browse through the
Foundation's Newsroom
for the latest updates on
the nationwide education
movement.
Coming in 2013,
Phase 2 of the website
will include a searchable
database and a policy
library. These resources
will provide every educa-
tion reformer with access
to the latest reports,
research and white pa-
pers, and much more as
they advance and imple-
ment critical changes to
improve the quality of
education for each and
every student.

FROM STATE
COLLEGE OF FLORIDA
State College of Florida,
Manatee-Sarasota faculty
members and interna-
tional opera singers Carol
Sparrow, mezzo soprano,
and Randolph Locke,
tenor, will present a
classical voice recital
Thursday, Jan. 10, 8 p.m.,
in Neel Performing Arts
Center at SCF Bradenton,

5840 W. 26th St.
Accompanied by pianist
Lurray Myers, they will
perform two famous song
cycles from the Romantic
period. Sparrow will sing
Hector Berlioz's "Les nuits
d'&t6," and Locke will per-
form Robert Schumann's
"Dichterliebe."
The husband-and-wife
duo have performed
together and individually

throughout the world with
major opera houses and
orchestras singing leading
operatic roles in cities
such as Berlin, Stuttgart,
St. Gallen, Mexico City,
Brussels, Amsterdam,
Hong Kong, Ottawa
and Edmonton, and the
countries of Finland
and Greece. In addition,
they have performed in
the Metropolitan Opera,

New York City Opera,
Carnegie Hall, Lyric Opera
of Chicago and the San
Francisco Opera.
This summer, the duo
will return to Cancun,
Mexico, for their third sea-
son as faculty artists at the
OperaMaya International
Summer Festival.
Sparrow and Locke are
cofounders of the non-
profit organization Opera

Community orchestra befriends charter school

for Animals: Singing Is
Saving, which has raised
more than $400,000 for
animal welfare groups
since its inception in
2001.
Sparrow and Locke
received scholarships
to earn their master's
degrees from the

CROSS
FROM PAGE 6

College-Conservatory of
Music at University of
Cincinnati.
General admission is $8;
Florida students and SCF
employees pay $4. For
more details, call the Neel
Box Office, 941-752-5252.
Maps and directions are at
scf.edu/maps.

SUDOKU
FROM CLASSIFIED

FROM VENICE COMMUNITY
ORCHESTRA
The Venice Community
Orchestra has joined with
IslandVillage Montessori
School to enhance the
K-ninth grade charter
school's new string instru-
ment instruction initiative.
Under an arrangement
between the orchestra and
the school, the school will
provide weekly rehearsal
space at its North Venice
campus and provide op-
portunities for beginning
music students to sit-in
and play along with them.
Angela Navarro, artistic
director and orchestra
conductor, will collaborate
with the school's music
director, Peter Simms,
to plan programs and
concerts that will entertain
and educate the entire stu-
dent body while providing
the valuable experience to
the string students to play
side-by-side with seasoned
performers.
At the formal kick-off to
the joint program, Venice
Community Orchestra per-
formed a program of clas-
sical works and a singalong
of holiday favorites for 200

of the school's pupils and
faculty. During intermission,
two orchestra players, violin-
ist Martin Himmelfarb and
flutist Jeanette Himmelfarb,
donated a violin outfit
formerly used by their son,
David, when he was a begin-
ning player, to the school's
string training program.
According to school
Executive Director Kym
Elder, who plays cello in
the orchestra, the string
program, though only under
way for a few weeks, has
already attracted 18 violin
students, three cello students
and six guitar students,
not counting those taking
private lessons. The demand
has become so strong
the school has retained

well-knownVenice area
performer and string teacher
Karen Tuttle to instruct the
new string students.
Venice Community
Orchestra was organized
in 2011 by founder John
Mabardi, a cello student, to
provide a place for players
of all ages and levels, from
retired professionals to
beginning amateurs, to
come together to have fun
making music. Today, the
orchestra is composed of
20 musicians who rehearse
weekly at the IVMS.
During its brief existence,
one of its high school-
age violinists was hired
byVenice Symphony
Orchestra and an 8-year-
old cellist was recruited by

SarasotaYouth Symphony.
"There are no auditions
required to join us, just the
desire to enjoy making mu-
sic together," the retired cor-
porate executive, Mabardi,
noted. "Our friendship with
the IslandVillage Montessori
School will be a wonderful
experience for our players
and the kids, both."
Founded in 1976 and
established as a Sarasota
County charter school, the
Island Montessori School
provides individualized
education for students
from pre-K through ninth
grade. In addition to its core
curriculum in language, hu-
manities, math and science,
the school offers programs
in art, music and athletics.

SUN PHOTOS BY FRAN VALENCIC Hundreds gathered at Patriots Park for the dedication of the
For the 13th year, Mr. and Mrs. Claus greet visitors, pose for 9/11 Memorial.
pictures and listen to wish lists at a magical holiday display on
West Venice Avenue during the week before Christmas.

Craig Faulkner, left, Venice High School baseball coach, and
Brian Wheatley, Venice High School volleyball coach, each led
his team to state championships in 2012.

Diane Knott, left, and Diane lorio helped the Venice High
School Indians baseball team coordinate a spectacular salute to
veterans and to their special friend and fan, Col. Jack Dundas.

Sue Chapman, left, president of the Venice Historical Society,
and Jean Trammell, president of Venice Heritage Inc., join in
the unveiling of the historical designation plaque on the KMI
Building Venice Centre Mall on West Tampa Avenue.

Venice Mayor John Holic unveils the new logo for the Loveland
Center. Debra Marrow, left, Johnny Britton, Holic, Mark Pagliaro
and Carl Penxa join in the festivities of this special event.

Venice Regional Medical Center CEO Pete Wozniak and Hospital
Volunteers of Venice president Pat Miller cut the ribbon at the
dedication of the memorial garden at the hospital. Commemo-
rative bricks can be purchased for $50.

Rob Smith became the new sports editor of the Venice Gondolier
Sun. He interviews Danika Yoder, one of the Venice High School
State Championship volleyball players.

Nancy Gorski chairs another highly successful Our Lady of
Lourdes fashion show. People ask to purchase tickets a year in
advance.

Jon Knott, left, Ann Thompson, Shaun Graser and Janice Zarro
lead the Venice Yacht Club's Foundation as a thriving organiza-
tion awarding grants to the community in only its second year.

2012: It was a very good year

FRAN

As those of us blessed
to live in this lovely City
on the Gulf prepare for
another great year, it's
fun to look back at some
of the events that gave
us a smile and a tug at
the heartstrings. Photos
of some of them appear
here.
Each event is special
because of the love and
dedication organizers
devote to its success.

It's important to
thank everyone in town
whose presence makes
Venice a great place to
live.

Choose three
verbs
I read recently that
instead of making a long
New Year's resolution
list, it is better to choose
three verbs that will trig-
ger you into action.
Think of some pos-
sible words. One might
be "volunteer." There
are plenty of fun places
for that to become an
action, including Venice
Theatre, the Triangle Inn
or HospitalVolunteers of
Venice. If "dance" is on
your list, sign up for a
line-dancing class. There
are plenty in town. If one

of your words is "walk,"
I'll see you about town
because that is one of
my verbs for the coming
year.
If you want to write,
join the writer's group
at the Senior Friendship
Center. Members meet
Monday mornings at
9:30 at the center, on
Scenic Drive. It is a wel-
coming. Members enjoy
meeting new writers.
Most are amateurs there
to write their memoirs.
Join us.

Please note
"Amahl and the Night
Visitors" will be per-
formed Sunday, Jan. 6, at
3:30 p.m. at Grace United
Methodist Church. Call
941-284-5972 for ticket
info.

One of our best
The special person
of this week is Jean
Trammell.
She is president of
Venice Heritage Inc. and
serves on many other
boards in town. She gives
unselfishly of her time
and often opens her castle
home for fundraisers.
She has a great sense of
humor and enjoys out-of-
the-box activities and hav-
ing fun. Her thumbprint
is on many special events
in town, but she prefers
to be a "silent partner."
She enjoys traveling and
especially enjoys time
with her family.
Jean Trammell is one
of the women who make
Venice a great place to live.

Happy New Year!

After 25 years, Jean Peters retired as executive director of the
Venice Symphony. Retired Maestro Wes Schumacher was on
hand to honor his good friend.

Earl Midlam and Dorothy Korwek receive plaques tor their work
and fundraising to restore the city's first firetruck, Old Betsy, to
her glory. The awards came during the Beach Bash celebrating
Venice's 85th birthday.

Porto llo
Waterfront dining, open to the public
SAVE $5
Not good on any other offers or Holidays or
Sunday brunch $10.95 all you can eatl 18% Gratuity added before
discount, must present coupon prior to ordering. Expires 1/31/13
Burnt Store Marina
3200 Matecumbe Key Rd.. Punta Gorda
94 639-3650

Let's Go! on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/SunCoastLetsGo
Please submit information at least two weeks before the
event. To send items for the calendar, please include the
time, location, cost of tickets and where to get them, and
a telephone number to call for more information.

52 road trips later
At 52 road trips per year, if I lived anywhere but Florida, I
would have seen all there was to see.
I haven't even seen all there is to see here on the Cultural
Coast. Practically in my backyard is Bay Preserve at Osprey,
which has a nature walk, picnic area and a restored 1930's
"neo-classical waterfront home. I attended a party at the
house when I first moved to Florida so I do know the site on
Little Sarasota Bay. I am anxious to see its transformation
from private home to road-trip destination. It is on my list for
the coming year.
Memorable trips from last year include the Naples Botan-
ical Gardens, which is many times larger than it was years
ago and a preview of Fantasyland's addition to the Magic
Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort. A major portion of
the addition is now open, with more to come over the next
two years.
For those who cannot make it to Mobile or New Orleans for
Mardi Gras, Universal Studios has an awesome celebration.
I was there in February to see the floats and toss beads and
returned in July to meet the Minions. Actually I was there to
check out the new ride. Still on my Universal list is the new
edition of its Blue Man Group show.
I was at Busch Gardens to see 1-year-old Kasi (my favorite
cheetah) and the South Florida Museum to see Snooty the
manatee. Snooty was 64 in July.
Also earning return visits last year were Weekie-Watchee,
the Strawberry festival in Plant City, Marie Selby Botanical
Gardens, the Kennedy Space Center and, because it was a port
stop on my Thanksgiving-week cruise Key West, where my
daughter and I took the Conch Tour Train so she could get a
quick overview of the Southernmost City in the U.S.
This year, I want to get back to the St. Augustine area and
maybe even venture up to Amelia Island. No wonder my car
has 160,000 miles on its speedometer. Have a wonderful New
Year on and off the road.

Robert Frost's Christmas cards
By HOLLY RAMER

Take heart, holiday procrastinators: Famed
poet Robert Frost once waited until July to get his
Christmas cards in the mail.
Unlike the flimsy, forgettable cards of today,
however, Frost's cards arguably were worth the wait.
Forthe past 28 years of his life, he teamed up with a
boutique printer to send beautifully illustrated book-
lets featuring a different poem for each year.
Dartmouth College, which Frost briefly attended
as a student and later returned as a lecturer, has
collected more than 500 of the cards, including the
first installment, which was sent without Frost's
knowledge.
In 1929, Joseph Blumenthal of the New York-based
Spiral Press, who was setting type for one of Frost's
poetry collections, decided the poem "Christmas Trees"
would make an attractive greeting card. With permis-
sion from Frost's publisher, he printed 275 copies,
one of which eventually made its way to Frost. The
poet liked it so much, he decided to collaborate with
Blumenthal on cards starting in 1934. The resulting
series lasted until 1962, the year before his death.
"It was one of the more fun things about him:'said
Frost biographer Jay Parini, a professor at Vermont's
Middlebury College. He called the cards a "remarkable
tradition"that's carried out by other poets today.
Many of Frost's cards feature woodcut illustrations
evoking the New England landscape with which he
was so deeply associated. Printed on heavy cardstock,
some run to 10 or 15 pages. The 1942 card included a
hand-colored illustration of a country village and the
poem "The Gift Outright,"which Frost, who won four
Pulitzer Prizes for poetry, later recited from memory at
the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy.

"Fun Fact" instead of

"What's Hot"

Instead of telling you "What's Hot" in the adjacent column,
I decided to give you a fun fact today. I realize we're past
New Year's and way past Christmas now, however, as I was
making out my Christmas cards two days after Christmas,
it made me feel better to read about Robert Frost. For all
of you who, like me, lost track of time sending cards for
Christmas, we are in good company. I still sent mine. I just
added a little note on the back that said, "Better late than
never!" It doesn't hurt to drag the season out a bit. So to all
you late card senders, send away.
In other news, our turkey contest is officially over.
Thanks to everyone who participated, and congratulations
to the winners. Be on the lookout in the near future for a
new competition with a new prize.
Looking ahead at 2013, a lot is planned for your enter-
tainment. As always, you will see a lot of the larger events
like county fairs and art festivals, however, I hope to
really do some research on the events that are fun, yet
maybe not so well-known. Also, for those of us who live
here year round, I want to find the skating rinks and small
cafes that we drive by daily, yet don't think to go to on a
Sunday when we're bored. I also want to start publishing a
recreation schedule with things like pickle ball, open swim-
ming, open gym times and other physical activities. I know
we only have 51 more issues this year, but be patient, it
will happen.
I hope everyone has made a resolution to enjoy life.
That's what I love about my job, I get to tell you what you
can do to enjoy yourselves on a daily basis. Whether you
like car shows, art shows, festivals or concerts you can find
it in Let's Go!

Provided by KATHY BURNAM
A six-week introductory course
in Florida fishing is being offered
in Punta Gorda.
The class is geared towards
beginning anglers and to
newcomers to Southwest Florida,
but experienced anglers will
pick up useful tips as well. Topics
to be covered include fishing
techniques, tackle selection,
rigging, knot-tying, lures, baits,
cast nets, fish identification,
tides, and fishing regulations for
fishing in fresh and salt waters
of Southwest Florida. Rods, reels,

lures, nets and other fishing
equipment will be displayed
during the class and there will
be a number of useful handouts
issued to students. The class
will be taught by longtime local
fishing guide Capt. Ralph Allen
and is open to all members of
the public.
The class will be held at the
PGI Civic Association building
on Shreve Street on Wednesday
evenings from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.,
beginning on Wednesday, Jan. 9.
Advance registration is recom-
mended by calling
941-637-1655.

Post holiday weight

loss competition

PROVIDED BY
THE CULTURAL CENTER OF
CHARLOTTE COUNTY
The Fitness Salon at the Cultural
Center of Charlotte County will be
holding a 12-week Post-Holiday
Weight Loss Competition beginning
on Jan. 7. The entry fee is $30 per
person, which includes a Weigh-In
Dinner Party, a free week's use of
the Fitness Salon, cash prizes for the

winners and more.
Weekly weigh-ins will be held.
One half of the entry fees will be
distributed to the top three teams
at the end of the competition,
based upon the percentage of
weight lost. To register and join
the fun, stop by the Fitness Salon
Monday-Friday 6 a.m.-7 p.m.,
Saturday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. or call
941-625-4175, ext 263.

f Early Bird menu 4:30-6
Not available on holidays.
Happy Hour 4-6
Seven Days a Week

Venice Community Concerts 2012-2013
presents

DAVID KLINKENBERG

A Celtic violinist, David is best
known for his performing with
highly regarded artist,
Jim Brickman.
David delivers his unique
style from ethereal strains of
Holy, Holy, Holy to the Celtic-
influenced Be Thou My Vision,
creating flights of fancy from
these familiar melodies.
From his reverential treatment
of the beloved Ave Maria, to his
bluegrassy version of the world's
most famous hymn,
Amazing Grace.
You do not want to miss this up
and coming artist!!
Sat 11.12 | 7pm

Hector is a unique musician, whose personal interpretations of
0 both classical and popular music on the organ have amazed and
1 delighted audiences around the world.
Sun 12.17 13 pm

Not one to rest on its laurels or its
Zagat and Wine Spectator ratings -
Libby's Cafe & Bar in Sarasota continues
to reinvent itself, introducing new menu
items biannually, most recently a $15
three-course dinner for early diners. The
2012-13 winter menu includes expanded
vegetarian selections, new flavor profiles
for small and large plates, and classic
cocktails with a contemporary spin.
But don't fret: Favorites like the bacon-
and-cheddar grits, deviled eggs sprinkled
with Mote Marine caviar and the meatloaf
(now envisioned as sliders), popular since
the Southside Village restaurant opened
in October 2008, are still available. So is
the sustainable salmon, tinged with the
light flavors of its cedar wrapped prepara-
tion and maple Dijon glaze. The crispy
red lentil quinoa cakes (garnished with
coconut curry aioli and candied cashews)
have grown up, now offered as an entree
portion.
"We took the lentil cakes off the menu
and customers demanded us to bring them
back,"said Holly Johnson, a Libby's spokes-
person. "We really think this winter menu
represents the best of the best."
Among the new offerings: short-rib
crostini, grilled ginger vegetable eggrolls,
and Karubi pork lettuce cups, the pork-
and-Korean version of the popular chicken
lettuce wrap. Libby's rendition benefits
from a barbecue glaze, crushed peanuts
and kimchi.

On the heels of launching its new winter
items, Libby's also announced the addition
of three-course prix-fixe dinners available
throughout season. During "high season,"
guests choose from seven first-course
starters, 11 second-course offerings and
three desserts served with the restaurant's
almost-famous homemade biscuits plus a

glass of wine or domestic beer. The dinners
are $15 and available between 4 p.m. and
6p.m.
Since introducing craft beers more
than a year ago, Libby's selection has
grown to 20. The new winter menu
also includes seven "Original Recipes,"
like the No. 1, a combo of Hendrick's

Celebrate Elvis's Birthday
Good Country Music
Performed by David Baron
Tuesday, Januay 8, 2013 7:00 IN

Let's Go!

~C~-;

January 2-8, 2013 E/N/C/V

DINING OUT GO

Joe Cracker Sportsgrille is located on El
Jobean Road in Port Charlotte, yet when you
enter this charming restaurant you feel as if
you are dinning by the seashore.
The outside eating area with a tiki hut,
palm trees and the Joe Cracker Parrot make
any landlubber feel as if they are sea bound.
Greg and M.J. Novak wanted to make
their place of business unique. Even it's
name, that was inspired by not only
'Gramps, but a family friend named Joe.
One of Gramps'grandchildren, Kati, enjoyed
stories of cowboys, also known as crackers
because of the sound of theirwhips, so Greg
and M.J. decided to name the restaurant in
honor of Gramps and Joe. For the Novaks,
both Joe and Cracker represent laughter and
good times.
The restaurant employs 45 people, many
who have worked at Joe Cracker for years.
"This is a great environment. There is
always a lot going on, it is a great place to
work,"says manager Nate Karstens. "We
work daily to make our food better. I talk
with my customers and go from table to
table to make sure all is okay. I keep my
prices down to make their dining experience
affordable. Our local customers appreciate

that. All our f WII8ff scrifiTil"
homemade. Our portions are big and we
encourage patrons to split their meal. The
favorite dish ordered is our fish and chips."
Other offerings include many selections
of flatbread pizza, taco salads, onion strings,
wings, chicken pot pies, and according
to Greg, the best burgers in town."Our
hamburgers our one of our bestsellers'"
For those who prefer dinner items,
the menu includes filet mignon, coconut
shrimp, baby back ribs, gourmet macaroni
and cheese, fresh seafood and many other
delicious items to choose from. Tempting
deserts are also available.
The restaurant features an extensive wine
and beer list, along with a full liquor bar.
When he's not busy coming up with
new recipes, Greg is busy with community
programs.
Two of the organizations that Joe Cracker
is involved with are The Charlotte County
Homeless Coalition, where Joe Cracker
provides meals once a month, and Port
Charlotte High athletics. They also help
many other local charities with raffles and
fundraising events.
Greg said,"l wanted a special meeting
place for the entire family to watch and
enjoy sports events."

such as half-time trivia, football toss and
raffles. On Fridays local bands will perform.
Greg invites all to come and enjoy great
food, watch sports and have fun, in a
relaxed, tropical setting.

Hours 11:30 a.m. t O51 day
through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to midnight
Friday and Saturday.
Joe Cracker Sportsgrille is located at 1020
El Jobean Road in Port Charlotte.
Call 941-258-3444 for more information.

The elegant newly remodeled
Georgian clubhouse provides
spectacular views of the golf
course and a full range of dining
options, from fine dining in our
Fairway Dining Room to casual
dining in the 19th Hole. For dinner
we offer an array of seafood,
including Lump crab cakes, New
Orleans BBQ Shrimp, Alaskan
salmon and Linguine in clam
sauce. Enjoy our award winning
Herb grilled lamb chops, Boca Filet
Mignon or our herb roasted
duckling with port wine, raspberry
hazelnut sauce.
Available for Weddings and
Banquets throughout the year with
personalized service to fit your
every need.

Let's Go!

GO EVENTS THI!

By DEBBIE FLESSNER
SUN CORRESPO i .1 I
One of the most successful fundraisers
of the year for Suncoast Charities for
Children comes roaring back into
Sarasota beginning tomorrow.
The 15th Annual Thunder
by the Bay Motorcycle
Festival is always a big
event-drawing in bikers
from near and far
for a weekend full
of entertainment,
camaraderie and
community. The bene-
ficiary of the festival
proceeds, Suncoast Chari-
ties for Children, has been
serving special needs
children and adults in
the area for more than
two decades. They've
been able to construct
and help maintain
facilities for the people
who need them with
the help of festivals such
as this one.
This year's festival is
being extended to four days,
and attendance is even expected
to top last year's estimated 50,000
attendees. Besides a love of motorcycles and
riding, what draws people to this event year
after year is knowing they are helping to
support a deserving organization.
"Since this festival began, more than
$800,000 has been raised for local children
and families,"said Lucy Nicandri, festival
director and vice-president of Suncoast Chari-
ties for Children. "That's not bad for an event

Let's Go!

S WEEK
ANNUAAL

.jbillcrr

which, in its first 'i *
year, had approxi-
mately 80 motorcycles that
raised approximately $150. And every year,
Thunder by the Bay attracts an increasing
number of visitors into the Sarasota area,
resulting in an estimated economic impact of
$6.4 million for local hotels and businesses."

ri CAMM261, , ,, ,,,6,,a ,g

I

I
I

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I
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January 26th, 2013 Laishley Park, Punta Gorda

SAnyone Can Enter! Limited to 25 Teams
The Charlotte Harbor Chili Challenge is a great opportunity to gain
exposure for your Club, Organization, Non-Profit group, Business,
or just great exposure and bragging rights for your great Chili.
Use your booth to educate the public about your products,
services, organization, or cause! Or just put a team together to have
a great time and win some prize money!!!
$2,000 in Prize Money!
Cash Prizes for Best Judged Chili,
|.People's Choice Chili Best Decorated Booth,"

Visit www.PuntaGordaChiliFest.com

i SlUN .A .. ASR EA. DY W

00 YOU AKE GREAT CHILD?

NAs part
of the expanded
schedule of events, the
2012 festival gets a jump on the weekend
with a new Thursday night affair.
"This year's festival will offer two
new events and plenty to see and do for
everyone," Nicandri said. "The festival
has extended its schedule a day with a
new event called the'Kick Start Party'
on Thursday, featuring select whiskeys,
wines and fine cigars at Michael's Tasting
Room."
For a ticket price of $100 per person, the
Kick Start Party will feature food stations
and an open bar, which also will be serving
specialty drinks. But the great thing about
the Thunder by the Bay festival is that
there are events to fit every budget.
There is a "Born to be Wild" party at
the Hyatt Regency on Friday night, at
which a $15 ticket will buy casino-style
gaming, live entertainment, a silent
auction and a Harley-Davidson fashion
show. And perhaps most fun of all is the
weekend downtown street festival, which
will feature a legendary musical guest on
Sunday.
"The fun continues with a big down-
town festival on Main Street Saturday
and Sunday, featuring a dozen bands
performing live on two stages, with over

E ;I nC. January 2-8, 2013

80 vendors and great food," Nicandri
said. "Jagermeister is bringing its famous
mobile stage downtown (a 45-foot semi)
to provide live entertainment at the
lower end of Main Street and Gulf
Stream Avenue. The Marshall
Tucker Band will be the
highlight of the festival
on Sunday at 4:30 p.m.
on the Jagermeister
Stage."
Still led today
by original
memberand
lead singer Doug
Gray, the Marshall
Tucker Band
represents a time and
place in music that is
still near and dear to
S multiple generations of
fans. Though they are in
the process of developing
new material, on this
Current tour of the country,
the band is playing a great mix
of their classic rock and country hits.
The weekend festival itself will be
operating from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.
on Saturday and Sunday and offers
free admission and bike and rider-
related demonstrations and vendors,
and plenty of food and beverage
options.
Net proceeds from all four days of
events, including the Sunday "Cruise for
Cash," will be donated to Suncoast Chari-
ties for Children. Nicandri says that the
continued success of the festival is due
to not only the riders who attend, but
the many supporters who help make it
happen.
"A special thanks goes out to all the
generous sponsors, community partners,
and volunteers who make this festival
possible year after year," she said. "Our
goal is to provide a safe, affordable and
fun atmosphere for everyone to enjoy.
Sarasota's own Thunder by the Bay has
become a destination event, so ride safe
and have fun."

IF YOU GO:
When: Thursday through Sunday,
Jan. 3 through 6.
Where: Dowvnovvn Sarasola,
lower Main Street area.
Info: Ticket prices for the various events
range from free admission to S 100 per
ticket. A full schedule of events can be
found on the wvebsite at vvvw.thunder
bythebay.org. For more Information
or to volunteer for the festival, call
941-371-8820, extension 1800.

We Want YOU

January 2-8, 2013 E/N/C/V

EVENTS THIS WEEK GO

By CHRIS KOURAPIS
SUN CORRESPONDENT

For eight years, DJ Tom Brooks has
entertained folks from his Travlin'Tunes
trailer parked on W. Dearborn Street in
Englewood. Brooks, a former electrical
contractor, is best known as the host of
the monthly Cruisin'on Dearborn event
that takes place the first Saturday of
every month.
What started as a hobby years ago
turned out to be what Brooks called,
"The best of all possible worlds.""l get
to play music I like, see great cars and
meet really nice people," he explained."In
the eight years that I've been coming to
Dearborn Street, I've never seen people
acting rowdy or anything like that. I hold
dozens of cruise-in's in big and small
Florida towns, but Englewood,to me, is
the most'homey."
This Saturday, hundreds of classic car
enthusiasts and scores of vintage cars are
expected to line Dearborn Street from 5 p.m.
until 8 p.m. DJ Tom Brooks supplies
"Happy Days" music along the West Dear-
born Street route where cars and people
are free to drive or stroll at their leisure as
they experience that "old-time feeling."
Cruisin'on Dearborn is sponsored each
year by OEVA, the Olde Englewood Village
Association and its 29 members. Elsie

Quirk Library Manager, Jennifer Perry,
OEVA President, explained that the event
is free, and most restaurants and shops
remain open. "Visitors and residents have
an opportunity to discover some of Engle-
wood's special treasures and artwork on
first Saturday evenings" said Perry. The
Arts Alliance of Lemon Bay, located at 452
W. Dearborn St., is especially popular this
time of year.
At the Alliance, artisans come together
to work towards the beautification of the
community, and they invite the public to
stop by their Members' Exhibit & Learning
Center, shop for original artwork, or sign
up for classes. Bobarino's Pizzaria, located
on adjacent Magnolia Street, provides
free T-shirts and pizza as prizes for the
various contests and raffles taking place
at Cruisin'on Dearborn.
Prizes such as car cleaning supplies
and gift cards are donated by area
individuals, merchants, or organiza-
tions. All anyone has to do is stop by the
Travlin'Tunes trailer parked near the
Arts Alliance and receive a free ticket to
be eligible for door prizes. Winners are
announced each hour.
A new contest that Brooks calls "10
Teasers"will be offered this year. The
first person to come up with the correct
answer to a teaser will win a scratch-off
ticket door prize. Brooks also sells 50/50

raffle tickets to offset expenses.
To learn more about OEVA's monthly
Cruisin'on Dearborn event taking place on

the first Saturday of each month
call 941-473-2300 or visit www.Olde
Englewood.com.

By GORDON BOWER
SUN CORRESPONDENT
Longtime downtown businessman and
Downtown Merchants Association President,
Jerry Presseller, can't go for long without
scratching an itch to open a business. After
closing his deli last year and with nothing but
running the Downtown Merchants Associa-
tion Farm Market to worry about, he opened
the Big Cheese Deli and Gourmet in the corner
of wife Patti's Sunart Gallery & Framing, 307
Taylor St., Punta Gorda.
ForJerry, a cheese shop in an art gallery
makes more sense than it would seem on the
surface.
"It's been slow in the gallery, so why not
take a room and get some more foot traffic,"
he said.
The two businesses have been co-located
long enough for the Pressellers to know they
can exist in a fairly small place, but is it too
much togetherness for the owners?
"Not really; we're used to it,"Jerry said.
"We do bump into each other every once in a
while."
As for the cheese shop angle, Jerry would
point to the paucity of places where cheese
lovers can get something a little out of the
ordinary and to his own experience selling
quality cheeses at the old deli and the
Saturday farmers market When customers at
the market started appreciating good cheese
and asking him to open a retail shop, he took
the bait.

The Big Cheese sells other complementary
products like crackers, tapinades,salamis
and sausages, dipping spices, Irish butter and
flash-frozen baguettes, but the main draw is
the cheese, which offers more intense flavors
than the cheese you see while strolling the
Kraft aisle at the local supermarket
The limburger is a good example. Pres-
seller's limburger comes from Germany and
only vaguely resembles the American-made
version.
"The German limburger I carry tastes way
better and doesn't smell as bad"Jerry said.
Big Cheese buys product from California,
NewYork and, of course, Wisconsin,and
through specialty suppliers imports from
all the major cheese-producing European
countries from Spain on the west to Germany,
Switzerland and Italy in the east and just
about every country in between.
Those who want to experiment with more
flavorful cheeses don't have to worry about
going wrong. Pressellerwill take you up the
tasting ladder by offering samples starting
with a soft, buttery brie and ending with
something strong like a goat cheese.
"After that, you're ready for anything," he
said.
You will also get good advice on handling,
including how to store it and serve it (at room
temperature). Presseller makes party-style
cheese platters to order and will try to locate a
special cheese for customers.
Cheese-lovers will also have an opportunity
to sample some of the cheeses at a daytime

Want to Play Around?
Join us Saturday, January 12, 2013 at
SUNNYBREEZE GOLF COURSE
for

deli and nighttime eatery that recently
opened in the building next doorwhere his
deli used to be. For the deli, he has reincar-
nated some popular sandwiches like Chicken
Charlotte and incorporated his new cheeses
into the menu. He's doing the same with the
limited-menu eatery, which repeats the same
items on the same day every week.
"The idea is to tie the cheese shop to the
deli and eatery,"'he said. "If customers like
something at the cheese shop, they can also
come to the restaurant and try it."
Patti Presseller's Sunart, in business for 23
years, has long been one of the best framing
shops around and also showcases her art and
that of other local artists.
Her website says the gallery has three
times been chosen one of the top 100 art
and framing retailers in the country, and that
hasn't changed.
She said,"I'm a framing specialist, and we
probably have the best expertise in
the area. Over the years,
I've framed a variety
of things like Pony
Express memorabilia,
a tomahawk, golf balls
and wrestling singlets.
I have eco-friendly
framing materials, and
I'm constantly bringing
in the latest moldings."
The art for sale
includes
her

own, as well as beautiful wood creations by
master craftsman Philip Bohley, pottery by
Mary and John O'Brien and stained glass and
jewelry by Judy Rehill.
What is new is that all of the wall art is hers,
with an emphasis on collages.
"That's the newest thing in my world"she
said. "Artistically, collages are the muse that's
moving me right now."
Her collages rate high on anyone's creative
scale and incorporate many materials most
people have never seen in a work of art.
She said,"I use broken, mismatched
jewelry, fabric, recycled watch parts, sticks,
stones, stained-glass shards, feathers, fur,
snake skins, insects, things I find in the street
like a run-over iPhone."
If that sounds like fun, she's beginning
classes at the gallery. She might even let her
students use some of the cheese containers
she's started incorporating into her works.
The gallery and the Big Cheese have their
own parking lot right in front of the
building. Hours are10 a.m. to5 p.m.
Monday through Friday. Cheeses are
also available 8 a.m. to noon Saturday
at the farmers market in front of
the old courthouse, and the gallery
Sis also open during those hours, as
well. Call the Pressellers at 941-391-
4856 for more information. You can
also visit www.sunartgallery.net
Currently, the deli's hours are 11 a.m. to
2:30 p.m., Tuesday through
Saturday; the eatery's
arefrom4p.m.
to 8 p1m.
"-- Wednesday
S. through
Saturday.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ARLENE KINCAID
Charlotte High School Charisma group under the direction of Ms. Jacki Cushman, entertained the
Charlotte County Retired Educators at their December meeting.
I r-9 I *. IFD-.- -.--

By KIM COOL
FEATURES EDITOR
Tampa's Museum of Science and Industry
(MOSI) is on the grow again.
The latest addition is Mission: Moon-
base, a new permanent exhibit, offers
visitors the chance to experience NASA's
vision of what it would be like to live on a
world other than Earth.
Partially funded by NASA, the exhibit
opened Dec. 15. It is housed within Kids in
Charge, MOSI's children's science center.
Visitors experience a simulated trip to
a lunar outpost at the south pole on the
moon. While there, they work as part
of a team living on the moon in 2070.
The experience is both interactive and
immersive. It includes augmented reality
(AR) simulations and virtual views of the
lunarscape. Visitors who participate in the
new exhibit will come away with an appre-
ciation of what it takes to survive and even
to thrive in such a harsh environment.

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The exhibit contains several zones or
"pods" in which guests will work together
toward the common goal of making the
lunar colony a sustainable place. In each
pod there are specific activities and visitors
will get feedback on their level of success
- or lack of success.
Visitors also will have the opportunity
to manipulate a robot as someone actually
based there might have to do if repairs
were needed outside the pod. Consider
that such manipulation would likely have
to be done while wearing a cumbersome
spacesuit and being in a zero-gravity
situation all of which can
inhibit one's dexterity. Visitors
will monitor resource produc- a
tion and learn to activate the
magnetic field that protects
the colony from solar radiation.
"We are so grateful to NASA
for helping to fund such an
immersive and fun exhibition
like Mission: Moonbase,"said
Wit Ostrenko, MOSI presi-
dent, in a release. "It's an \
honor to support NASA's
education mission, while
incorporating MOSI's
educational initiatives /'
to develop STEM ,
(Science, Technology,
Engineering and
Mathematics
fields) skills in i
students fall
levels." /
MOSI is .

considered the largest science center in the
Southeast and its children's science center
is considered the largest such facility in the
United States.
MOSI is also home to the only IMAX
Dome Theatre in Florida.
Other permanent attractions include
the Sky Trail Ropes Course and Zip Line and
The Amazing You, which explores life from
birth to death.
Take Interstate 75 to Exit 265 (Fowler
Avenue. Travel west to 4801 E. Fowler.
MOSI will be on the left. Stan-
dard admission is $21.95

per person for adults 13 and older, $19.95
for seniors 60 and older and $17.95 for
children 2-12. That includes one IMAX film,
planetarium show and Kids in Charge. The
premier admission package also includes
the Ropes Course experience and one Zip-
Line ride. Films, Ropes Course and Zip Line
also are available separately.
For information, visit www.mosi.org or
call 813-987-6300.

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: II I A *

Let's Go!

I a

January 2-8, 2013 E/N/C/V

ROAD TRIP GO

By KIM COOL
FEATURES EDITOR

Get away to the Inn on Fifth in
Naples.
The cozy 87-room inn is close the
Naples Botanical Gardens and the
Naples Zoo. It also is right on Naples'
main shopping street and adjacent
to the Sugden Theater, home of the
60-year-old Naples Players.
If you are there when the theater is
hosting a show, it also offers a great
after-theater spot. Currently at the
Theater is the Naples Players produc-
tion of Ken Ludwig's "Leading Ladies."
A stay at the inn is especially nice
after a play. The ride home seems much
shorter in the morning rather than late
at night, especially for those who live
100 miles away.
The inn recently completed a
$1.7 million renovation. Rooms are
super deluxe and comfortable. Some

are on the same level as the pool deck.
Furniture is all custom-made and
the colors are creamy and greyish with
black and a touch of red for an accent.
New crown molding sparkles and the
drapery lets in light while still offering
great privacy. The inn's lobby sparkles
with crystal chandeliers.
Also updated were the hotel's
meeting rooms and ballroom, which
could prove handy for a family reunion
or wedding.
Nearing completion across the street
is the inn's $16 million 40,000-square-
foot expansion that is still on course to
open this month.
Stay for the nearby shopping and
theater but consider the hotel's prox-
imity to the Gulf of Mexico just down
the street and other Naples sites and
attractions just a short drive away.
On-site is a spa and Truluck's Seafood
Steak and Crab House. The inn offers
free Wi-Fi, but leave the computer
at home when staying at this sort of

place. No planes, no TSA, a short drive
and total relaxation right here on the
sun coast.
Visit www.innonfifth.com or call
888-403-8778. Ask about special offers.

Classes being
offered
Adult Acting Class: This
seven-week class meets on Tues-
days from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at
the Lemon Bay Playhouse Annex,
beginning January 15. The
I learning experience concludes
with a clss presentation on
Saturday, March 9. It is $50 a
person.
Registration is
available by calling the box office at
941-475-6756 between 10 a.m. and
2 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Shakespeare Workshop: The
seven-week workshop meets on
Thursday from 10 a.m. until noon
at the Lemon Bay Playhouse Annex,
beginning January 17. The work-
shop concludes with a class presen-
tation on Saturday,
March 9. It is $50 a person.
Registration is available by calling
the box office at 941-475-6756
between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Monday
through Friday.

Let's Go!

I

January 2-8, 2013 E/N/C/V

Let's Go!

THE ARTters

Opposites attract in "Love Letters"

By CHRIS KOURAPIS
SUN CORRESPONDENT
Although lovers Melissa Gardner and
Andrew Makepeace Ladd III never make
eye contact throughout the entire perfor-
mance of"Love Letters' Rita Corn, who
plays Melissa, feels that"It's the most
beautiful and touching play everwritten."
Local actors, Rita Corn and Ron Bupp will be
starring this weekend in A. R. Gurney's"Love
Letters"at the Charlotte Players'Langdon
Playhouse.
First performed in New Haven, Conn.
in 1988, the play is about two childhood
friends who become lovers. It's hard
to imagine how Melissa, a free
spirit destined to become
a "hippie"and Andrew, a
straight-laced intellectual,
could ever connect with one
another. The two-act produc-
tion begins with Melissa

and Andrew sending notes to each other
in second grade. Their correspondence,
consisting of letters sent at various stages of
their lives, continues well into the couple's
golden years, and Corn admits that after
each performance, she is "brought to tears."
Some of the world's most talented actors
including Elizabeth Taylor and James Earl
Jones, Sigourney Weaver and Jeff Daniels,
and Tab Hunter and Joyce De Witt have
starred in adaptations of the play in Off
Broadway productions and in theaters all
over the world.
The popular appeal of"Love Letters,"
according to Ron Bupp (Andrew), is that the
play encourages interaction between the
actors and the audience. "The avant-
garde approach requires that the
actors do their best acting, and the
audience, in turn, brings it about."
SA few years ago Ron Bupp and Rita
Corn starred as Melissa and Andrew
tostandia room nlv at the'

Lemon Bay Playhouse in Englewood."lt was
February, just in time for Valentine's Day,"
said Bupp,"and we have looked forward to
performing together in'Love Letters'ever
since."
A professional actor, singer, and stage
director, Bupp spent many years "traveling
all over America."He originally trained
for the Grand Opera stage but switched
to Broadway musicals, performing in
shows that included "Oklahoma,""South
Pacific"and Carousel" He recently starred
as "Joseph" in the production of"My Three
Angels"at the Lemon Bay
Playhouse. Since "retiring"
he has also appeared
with The Charlotte
Players in "Guys and
Dolls,""Oh Mamma!
No Papa!"and "Lend
Me a Tenor." Rita Corn
has performed, directed.

classes for both adults and children. Her
performances include Martha in"Arsenic&
Old Lace,'Amanda in "Southern Comforts,"
and Daisy in"Driving Miss Daisy."She's
performed with the Charlotte Players,
Players of Sarasota, Golden Apple Dinner
Theaters, and Glen Loche DinnerTheatre in
Syracuse, N.Y., and is currently the artistic
manager for Lemon Bay Playhouse. The
Langdon Theater is a perfect venue for"Love
Letters"as cabaret tables will surround a
small stage where the couple will perform
in a very intimate, nightclub-style setting.
Call the box office at 941-255-1022 for
reservations orwww.charlotteplayers.org.
What: "Love Letters"
Where: Charlotte Players Langdon
Playhouse, 1182 Market Circle, Port
SCharlotte.
S When: Jan. 4-12
S Times: Evenings: 7:30 p.m.
SMatinees 2 p.m.

'Jitney' opens Friday at WBTT
By KIM COOL

FEATURES EDITOR
Nate Jacobs, founder and artistic director of
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, continues to
expand its offerings.
Opening Friday is August Wilson's "Jitney,"
which will play through Feb. 3 at the compa-
ny's theater in Sarasota.
"August Wilson is one of America's most
well-known African-American playwrights,"
Jacobs said in a theater release."Always
powerful and poignant, we look forward to
bringing Jitney to our Sarasota audiences."
The work is the first of 10 plays the
comprise what has become known as Wilson's
Pittsburgh Cycle. Each play spans a different
decade of the 20th century, although they
were not written in chronological order.

Set in a 1970's gypsy cab station,"Jitney"
concerns a group of"unofficial, unlicensed taxi
cab drivers"who are about the only drivers
in town willing to take their fares to the Hill
District
The nine-member cast includes WBTT
veterans Will Little and Dhakeria Cunningham
plus Alfred H. Wilson, Ron Bobb-Semple,
Andrew Drake, Don Johnson, Steven McKenzy,
Horace Smith and Martin Taylor. Jim Weaver,
who directed last season's"Raisin in the Sun"'
directs.
WBTT performances are in the Westcoast
Black Theatre Troupe Theater at 1646 10th Way,
Sarasota. Shows run Tuesday through Saturday
evenings at 8 p.m. with Sunday matinees at 2
p.m. Tickets are $29.50 per person. Visit www.
wbttsrq.org or call 941-366-1505.

By KIM COOL
I I I ] I, I1 ,I
One of Broadway's most
heart-warming musicals,
"Fiddler on the Roof,"
opened New Year's Eve
at the Broadway Palm
Dinner Theatre in Fort
Myers where it will play
through Feb. 16.
The story is about the
family of Teyve, his five
daughters, the local
Yenta, or matchmaker,
and the men she finds for
Teyve's daughters. Teyve
is a traditional man. Three
of his daughters are less
so. They live in a Jewish
community in Tsarist

Russia where all the Jews
are in danger of being
evicted from their land.
Through all the changes,
Teyve tries to maintain
his traditional religious
beliefs. One of the many
memorable songs in
the show, "Tradition,"
concerns that aspect of
the story which is based
on stories of Sholem
Aleichem.
Cast and crew began
their national tour last
August. Following the
run in Fort Myers, the
troupe will head to West
Palm Beach on Feb. 17;
Hollywood on Feb. 18;

Boca Raton on Feb. 19,
Lakeland on Feb. 20 and
Delray Feb. 21-24. The
tour continues through
April.
Performances in Fort
Myers will be Tuesday
through Sunday and will
include some matinees.
Tickets are $35-$55 for
adults; student and group
discounts available.
The theater is at
1380 Colonial Blvd., in
Fort Myers. Visit www.
broadwaypalm.com or call
239-278-4422.

kcool@venicegondolier.com

PHOTO COUPTES,' OF THE BPODDv".' P-.LM DIllljEP THEmTRE

"Fiddler on the Roof" is playing through Feb. 16 at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre in
Fort Myers.

Imagine being able to play golf close to home and still feel far from the hustle and bustle. Myakka Pines Golf
Course is conveniently located on South River Road in Englewood. Yet its unspoiled landscape -surrounded by
nature, not man-made developments lets you enjoy Olde Florida the way it used to be.
Nature is at its natural best at Myakka Pines. Lakes, trees and wildlife sprinkle the course with unexpected
pleasures. The designers took care to preserve the special, natural atmosphere that makes golfers come back again
and again. It first opened for business in 1978; greens were renovated in 2008.
The course itself is, in fact, three nine-hole courses, called Red, White and Blue. Each course is different and
challenging in its own way, designed to excite average golfers and challenge scratch golfers as well. Each nine plays
about 3350 yards from the back tees, 3100 yards for men and 2800 yards for women.
'Twenty-seven holes provides the flexibility to accommodate smooth flow on the course by melding tee time and
turning golfers based on which course has the most availability at the time," said general manager Mickie Zada. "We
are able to ensure excellent rounds of golf time as well as enjoyable experiences."
Myakka Pines is unusual in that its focus is solely on golf; no tennis courts or swimming pool distract golfers
during play. Since opening in 1978, Myakka Pines has been an equity club operated by the Board of Directors all
of whom are equity members elected by the membership.
The club offers both an equity membership and a one-year non-equity golf pass. Currently they are waiving the
normal initiation fee, making this an excellent time to check out Myakka Pines for your golf membership.
Class A, PGA golf pro Frank Perilli is in his 25th year of helping golfers improve their game at Myakka Pines.The
pro shop is stocked with the latest in equipment and apparel. It also offers bag storage and storage for
members'private carts. Golfers can work on challenges with their game at special practice areas for chipping,
putting and bunker shots as well as at the excellent driving range.
After golfing, enjoy your favorite beverage in the casual 19th Hole or lunch in the River Road Grille. Myakka
Pines' clubhouse is also available for banquets, parties and weddings.
For more information information about golfing at Myakka Pines Golf Club, visit www.myakkapinesgolfclub.com,
call 941-474-1753 or stop in to the club at 2550 S. River Road in Englewood

By GORDON BOWER
SUN CORRESPONDENT
The Charlotte Players, the county's
oldest performing arts organization,
has been putting on performances for
more than half a century, most often at
the Cultural Center of Charlotte County
Theater. During that time, the orga-
nization has attracted more than 100
members and a large base of season-
ticket holders who appreciate the
opportunity to see live theater.
In these economic times, nonprofits
like the Players have to stay nimble to
be successful. That agility is evident in
a Jan. 4-5 show titled "Charles Lind-
bergh: The Lone Eagle'"which will be
staged at the historic courthouse in
Punta Gorda.
Players executive director Sherrie
Moody said, "People don't have as much
disposable incomes any more; they're
holding onto their money. Like any
other nonprofit, our costs are up signif-
icantly, and donations and attendance
are down. That's why we're trying to
offer something for everybody."
The Lindbergh show is a good
example, starting with the location.
With a nod toward the tendency of
Punta Gorda residents to stay in town
for their entertainment, she said,
"We're trying to hit all parts of the
county this year, and we want to have
more of a presence in Punta Gorda.
We even considered doing something
at IMPAC University, but the parking
problem was too much."
The old courthouse, with its impres-
sive high-ceilinged courtroom, provides
historical ambience for plays set in the
past and was a perfect venue for last
year's first production there -"Inherit
the Wind," a fictional version of the

Scopes Monkey Trial. of subject for a one-man show, "Lindy
It's just as suited to the Lone Eagle, kind of chose me. I was doing a tele-

a one-man show
with no need for
the fancy sets
and lighting of
a real theater When: 7:30 p.m
stage. The Players What:"Charles I
occasionally bring Eagle,"a one-man
in shows from the and acted by Stev
outside to add Where: the hist
variety and addi- downtown Punta
tional income, Tickets: $25 at \
and Lone Eagle, ticketleap.com or
written, produced Park: free on th
and acted by and in adjacent pa
Sarasota resident Info: www.char
Steve Carroll, has www.dreamscape
drawn excellent available after th(
reviews around
the country and
promises to both
inform and entertain theater-lovers.
A veteran actor who even resembles
Lindbergh, Carroll said of his choice

vision series
in China, and
a cast mate,
Bob Brown,
does Benedict
Arnold and said
I should do a
one-man show
indigenous to
my home state.
New Jersey, my
state, was where
the Lindbergh
kidnapping
happened."
Carroll
researched and
wrote for three
years trying to
capture a man

who was both a national hero and a
controversial figure for several decades.
He succeeded; the play received the

ROAD TRIP GO

Lindy

endorsement of the Charles A. and
Ann Morrow Lindbergh Foundation
and the couples' daughter, Reeve.
As for the entertainment, critics
have described Lone Eagle as riveting,
thrilling and mesmerizing.
Carroll said, "Lindbergh was a very
complex personality. My play exam-
ines this, warts and all. He was not a
saint but a fascinating American icon
that makes for tremendous theater.
A lot of folks come up after the show
and give me their own memories and
photographs with him they want to
talk about."
Carroll covers the thrilling flight
to Paris as well as "warts" like the
kidnapping of Lindbergh's son and his
anti-war advocacy and extramarital
affairs, but the play's biggest triumph
is the way it captures the aviator's
personal side.
"The hardest part to get was the like-
ability factor," Carroll said. "He was so
stubborn, pig-headed and determined.
The same qualities that helped him
succeed in getting across the Atlantic
also made it hard to be around him. To
try to make him more accessible to the
audience was the toughest thing to do."
Carroll's wife, Elaine, is her husband's
production manager, working with the
lights, sound and set people so Steve
can get into character. She's seen the
show hundreds of times and remains
fascinated by it.
She said, "Lindbergh is a major
historical figure and is more than just
the flight and kidnapping. I'm always
amazed by the story Steve has created
and how he turns into the real live
person up there. It's gripping; I never
get tired of watching it."

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I - - --- .- - -- -
I .nM 1T *Se* e S-l
941-624-0067I~llllllll~L~~

By SHIRLEY GEORGE
SUN CORRESPONDENT
Fred Capitelli, leader of"Ingroov Band,"
is a busy musician and vocalist, and loves
to entertain audiences. His band performs
from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. every Thursday from
November to mid-April at the Cultural
Center, 2280 Aaron St., in Port Charlotte.
The band plays jazz, swing and Latin
music, and occasionally features a waltz or
polka.
Selections include the music of Glenn
Miller, Count Basie, Benny Goodman,
Duke Ellington, Buddy Rich and others.
Instruments include five saxophones, four
trombones, four trumpets, piano, bass and
drums.
Maracas are available for audience
participation in the Latin songs, and now
and then anyone who'wants to lead a
band'is featured.
Capitelli, a saxophonist, also plays and

January

PROVIDED BY THE JAZZ CLUB OF SARASOTA

The Jazz Club of Sarasota's"Jazz at
Two" 2012-2013 concert series continues
in January with the Betty Comora's Split
Personality on Jan. 4, Kitt and Mike Moran
on Jan. 11 and the Eddie Tobin Quartet on
Jan. 25.
The series, which was founded in 2001,
showcases the region's top jazz performers
on Friday, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the
Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota,
3975 Fruitville Road, Sarasota.
Betty Comora's Split Personality opens
the January concerts on Friday, Jan. 4.
Pianist and vocalist Comora will perform
such favorite jazz tunes such as "Cry Me a
River,"and "You Make Me Feel So Young,"
during the first set, accompanied by Jim
Wellen on sax. "The second set changes

sings with the Charlotte County Big Band,
the Top Hat Swing Band, and Jerry White
Big Band. He is vice president of the Char-
lotte County Jazz Society, and in charge of
the monthly jam sessions.
"The Ingroov musicians are professionals
and love what
they do. They
arrive on time IF YOU
in proper What: Ingroov Band
uniform every When: 2 p.m. to 4 p
week, ready Thursday
to give our Where: Cultural Cen
devoted and St., Port Charlotte
supportive Ticket price: $3 per
audiences their
all," Capitelli
said."It's
definitely a two-way street. We love the
audiences, and they love us. Bless them."
Although Capitelli is proud of every
musician, he is especially pleased that two

lovely and dedicated ladies perform with
the band, saxophonist Wanda Carter and
Jennifer Schmeisser on trombone.
According to Capitelli, the band plays as a
labor of love. The $3 ticket price per person
goes to benefit the Cultural Center. Any
donations support
*L orchestrations and

some small operating
expenses. Each band
member owns his or

her own instrument,
r, 2280 Aaron uniform and equip-
ment.
rson Born and raised
in the Little Italy
section of New York
City, Capitelli started
playing saxophone at age 16. He served as
a corporal in the U.S. Army in Korea, and
later was musical director of a CIB (Combat
Infantry Badge) Review that entertained

troops at military bases in Korea, Japan,
and Okinawa.
After his discharge from the military,
Capitelli worked as an advertising account
executive for two major newspapers. For
30 years, he played with the "Rhythm
Kings Band" on weekends and sometimes
on weeknights at hotels, nightclubs,
country clubs, and corporate events in
New York, Philadelphia, Las Vegas and
Atlantic City. The band also performed on
the Manhattan Cruise Lines, and played for
29 consecutive years on New Year's Eve at
various venues.
Capitelli, 80, moved to Southwest Florida
17 years ago. He loves the area, the people
and especially performing. His goal is to
play his saxophone at his 100th'surprise'
birthday party.
"Come see the band, and bring a friend.
You'll be glad you did, and so will your
friend," Capitelli said.

concerts

musically when banjo/vocalist Mike Evans
and I present another style of jazz from our
'2 Much Fun'act;'says Comora."ln this set,
you'll hear lively goodies like'Hard Hearted
Hannah'and'Robert E. Lee'"Comora says
that, for the grand finale, she'll "whip out
my famous washboard comedy routine."
Her partner for this act will be Shirley
Goodman, the"Tap Dancing Diva"who
turns 90 in March. Bassist Don Dean and
drummer Dale Hassan will provide backup
for all three sets.
Next up, on Friday, January 11, is vocalist
Kitt Moran and her husband, pianist Mike
Moran, performing with Dominic Mancini
on bass and Dane Hassan on drums. Kitt
and Mike Moran are regulars in the New
York City jazz club circuit, performing at
such venues as Michael's Pub, the Village
Vanguard, The Blue Note, and Shanghai

Jazz. In New York, Kitt Moran opened for
Jay Leno, Rodney Dangerfield and Jackie
Mason and performed with a number of
other jazz greats. She recently completed
a musical, "Chick Soup,"about four women
of different backgrounds who meet in a
gynecologist's office. "We draw a lot on the
Great American Songbook, but we also do
originals and newer songs by current jazz
writers and musicians," says Mike Moran,
adding that this concert will focus on the
songs of Johnny Mercer.
The Eddie Tobin Quartet closes the
January concert series on Friday, Jan. 25.
The group will fire up audiences with a
wide variety of jazz standards and, as
Tobin puts it, "sunny tunes everyone can
swing to." Eddie Tobin, pianist and vocalist,
studied under the highly respected pianist/
educator, Vince Laurence Maggio, and

performed around the world, including at
the London Palladium, Montreal's Place
Des Arts, the Universal Amphitheatre in
Los Angeles, and the Kremlin Palace of
Moscow. He played for the Forester Sisters
and, with that group, opened for Kenny
Rogers through 1988. He also played
with Brenda Lee for a little over a year on
keyboards and accordion. Soon after, Tobin
became pianist and conductor for a show
band for four years. This led to spending
nearly eight years as pianist, music director
and conductor for Engelbert Humperdinck.
Tickets are $7 for Jazz Club members and
$12 for non-members. A portion of ticket
sales is directed to the Jazz Club's scholar-
ship program. For more information about
the Jazz Club of Sarasota, call 941-366-
1552, or visit www.jazzclubsarasota.org.

Gary Gray doesn't physically resemble
Willie Nelson, but many audiences claim he
sounds a lot like the popular country music
singer."I'd like to say that Nelson happens
to sound a lot like me," he said jokingly.
Gray hit on a great idea. He spent two
months putting a Willie Nelson Tribute
Show together, and performed it for the
first time in August at Fishermen's Village
Center Court in Punta Gorda. The audience
loved it.
Gray, a guitar player and singer, grew up
in Maine, and began playing and singing at
age 15. He claims after his first trip south
in the winter of 1972, he was'hooked' Gray
moved to northwest Arkansas and formed
his band,"Country Classics,'who performed
in Arkansas, Tennessee and Florida.
In 1979, Gray moved to Nashville
and spent the next 20 years honing his
song writing skills while performing at

various Writers'Nights.
Accompanying himself on the guitar, Gray
plays an eclectic mix of well-known light
jazz, folk and country tunes as well as his
original songs. He enjoys getting to know his
audiences, and encourages them to partici-
pate in the musical experience.
Gray is pleased he bought a permanent
home in Port Charlotte in 2007, and enjoys
performing locally.
Gray's future performances are:
Caribbean theme lunch featuring island
music from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Jan.
9 at the Cultural Center, 2280 Aaron St.,
Port Charlotte. Ticket price is $13 for lunch
and show. Order tickets at 941-625-4175 or
www.theculturalcenter.com.
Texas BBQ and dinner dance from 4 to
7 p.m. on Feb. 7 at the Cultural Center,
2280 Aaron St., Port Charlotte. Great food
and fun for $18 per person.
Mix of folk, country and light jazz music
from 5 to 9 p.m. Feb. 22, at Fishermen's
Village Center Court, Punta Gorda.

Last week, this musical trivia question was asked:
She is sitting on a window seat with her cat on the cover of this classic 1971
album. Who is this singer/songwriter and what is the name of the album?
Answer: Carole King and the album "Tapestry."The first reader to get it right was
Will Johnson of Punta Gorda.
This Week's Question: Martha & the Vandellas'1964 "Dancing in the Street"was
covered by Van Halen in 1982. What two famous English singers also covered it as a
duet, taking it to the top 10 in 1985?
If you think you have the right answer, email it to upbeat@sun-herald.com no later than
noon this Friday, and we'll publish your name as the winner with the correct answer
in next week's issue of Let's Go! Please include your name and city.

Play a minimtum of 2 Ihours to Lualify
then return to the Player's Club to collect Lup to
S100 in Free A machine Play Free Table Bet.
------ 0$10ff-fo---
Receive $100 in offers over
your first 3 visits.

IN GRAND
From casual to elegant, Grand Palm has a home to match your lifestyle. Choose
from five beautiful home series, featuring six new models and 22 floorplan choices!
Designed and built by Neal Communities, a Florida company that has been
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just right for your family. Plus, plenty of amenities to keep you active in a vibrant
community from nature walks to thrilling matches on our tennis courts.
Call or visit our model homes today to see how grand life can be at Grand Palm!

Single Family Homes
Prices starting at $169,900
16 unique Single Family Neighborhoods to choose from!
Offering a variety of floor plans ranging from 1,500 to 2,200
square feet featuring many well-desired views, options in design,
including pools and/or spas!

Exclusive Buyer Agent, FLORIDA
Anyone can show property. Only an Exclusive Buyer Agent
can fully represent a buyer in the purchase of a home.
I Am NOT A Listing Agent.
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give you all of the following Dutiesi JLi

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SI have years of experience selling Real Estate in Southwest, FL
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Whether you're looking for a permanent home, winter home
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buildIII This
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for you! Buill in
miciow\ave.
ilange. .
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2BA home \ilh
metal cooling
2 car garage.
screened lanai, gianile counleis, lile flooing, and
more! What a great location too. Walk or bike to
catch the ferry to the beach. Buy this home before
the first of the year and get a free washer & dryer!!

NOKOMIS $57,000
Land owned mobile home with new roof
Affordable 3/2 with fireplace & open
floor plan Turnkey furnished Close to
the beach
Karen Itjen 941-228-5553
wwwomdent1alflorldla.rearlt com/N577815

Live in one side & let the other side pay
your mortgage! One unit turnkey fur-
nished, apphances included w/stacked
W/D in both units. Mins. to beach!
Diane Fuchs 941-266-8006
wwwprudentialflondarealtycom/N5778451

Completely furnished home with new
bathroom floors & fresh paint Located
on the pet friendly side of Japanese
Gardens a much sought after location
Bev Clark 941-320-9800
www pmdentialflondarealty com/N5778583

Debra Villari
Prudential Florida Realty
Born and raised in South
Philadelphia aka (South
Philly Girl). I moved to
Venice, Florida from South
Jersey where I have been a
Realtor for 10 years and a
member of the million dollar
club with the Prudential family.

As President of my condo
association I have always had
a real passion for Real Estate
and strive to go above and
beyond the expectations of
buyers and sellers.

VENICE $319,000
Open floor plan with soaring ceilings,
large rooms, & lots of natural light.
Casually elegant heated pool home in
Venice Palms. Close to the beach!
CharrylYouman 941-468-5215

GORGEOUS LAKE VIEW
3BD/3BA/2CG pool home. Meticulously maintained by original owner
Plantation shutters, replumbed, new roof in 2005, and more. Short
walk to Jacaranda Golf& Country Club
Priced at $269,900

/ALENCIA RESIDENCES CONDO 2 bedroom/
2 Bathrooms/1 car carport and heated
community pool Gorgeous and relaxing views
from 2 lanals of Venice Island and Gulf of
Mexico Upgraded building, no pets allowed
Upgraded kitchen with conan, new tile floors,
bathrooms redone and more Steps to beach,
pool and short walk to Venice Ave Priced at

LAKE AND POOL VIEWS
Jacaranda West area with 3BD/2BA/2CG
Lake and solar heated pool views from
most rooms Kitchen remodeled in 2010
A/C replaced in 2009, new irrigation in
2012 and more Priced at $189,900

NEWER HOME IN SOUTH VENICE
3BD + DEN/2BA/3 CG pool home
3rd car garage has A/C and electric, "Man
Cave" Built in 2003, high ceilings, light and
bright Deeded beach access and no deed
restrictions Ready to move into today
Priced at $239.900

Since 1985 and 800 homes later we have been a
premier custom homebuilder in Sarasota, Charlotte
Counties and the City of North Port. We recognize
that each homeowner has different needs & desires
and we invite you to contact us today to learn more
about the quality & beauty we build into every home.
At Home Masters you work directly with E.J. from
design to the final walk thru, no third parties. We
can work from our floor plans or yours. Our standard
features include upgrades a lot of builders charge for.
We can also help you find a lot thru our Real Estate
contacts. References available. Homes from $183,900
on your lot. Realtors Welcome.
EJ Mouhot, President
S941.468.2201
www.HomeMastersVenice.com

180 DEGREE Lake & Golf Course Views
from this 2B/2B second floor condo. Unit
has Vaulted ceilings, brand new A/C and
newer appliances including the Washer/
Dryer. Complex has heated pool and
clubhouse. Property is being sold
Furnished! Located within 3 miles to the
Venice Beaches.
$119,000

VENETIAN FALLS! This End Unit
features 2/2/den, screened lanai & a 2CG,
overlooking a lake Villa has tile floors in
traffic areas, cathedral ceilings and neutral
colors throughout. Complex features state
of the art fitness center, large pool and
activities galore.
$196,500

This 2 Bedroom 2 Bath is Perfectly placed
between Venice & Sarasota! Just minutes to
the Nokomis beach by bike or car. Features
include a small courtyard entry, bay window
in the Kitchen and crown moldings in the
Living & Dining Rooms.
$114,900

Tuesday, Jan 1,2013 Page 4 .Welcome Home

Short Sale
.ra >

1*1"
NEW LISTINGS`WELCOME CALL 941.475.7011

!_ ;'"

I

ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES
in this must see 3 Bedroom 2
bathroom 2500 sq. ft. home. Open
Floor plan that features not only a gas
fire place in the living room but also
in the grand master suite. Home also
features pool with bar area on lanai.
MLS# D57890344 Price: $299,000

Over 200sq. ft. in this beautiful
3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home with
a pool. Wood flooring in the living
area and den. Stainless steel
appliances, and Marvelous master
suite with roman shower and two
walk-in closets MLS# D5790321
Price: $199,000

OPEN CONCEPT in this 4 bedroom 2
bath home with pool and screened
enclosure. Located in gated community
of Charleston Park. Home is situated on
cul-de-sac with a 2 car garage. Solid
surface counters in kitchen with
breakfast nook overlooking pool area.
Separate office or den off entry.
MLS# D5788311 Price: $176,700

-K:-. '.. j.'"

WELL MAINTAINED AND
FURNISHED home in Harbor Isles, an
active resident owned 55+ community.
Floor plan features great room plus a
den/family room. Property is nicely
landscaped and community offers many
amenities to enjoy including a boat
ramp on Salt Creek with access to
Myakka River & Gulf of Mexico.
\c rc7 nC7QQ41C D-.--. (4 Onn

LARGE HOUSE with separate living
room and family rooms and lots of
special features and amenities. On a
freshwater canal with loads of
privacy.House is move-in ready and
features surround sound, alarm system
and a sprinkler system for your
landscaping. Lot next door is available
under separate contract.
MT1 ,, fl;7RoQAnt Pri-- 1 o000

METICUOUSLY MAINTAINED,
GREAT curb appeal, and MOVE IN
ready, isn'tenough to say about this
remodeled unit. The Open floor plan
and LARGE lanai are PERFECT for
entertaining, or just relaxing and
enjoying all the GATED 55+
community has to offer.
MLS# D5786994 Price: $72,000

ALMOST 1500 SQ. FT. in this 3
bedroom 2 bath condo located in
gated community of Sabal Trace.
Home features impact resistant
window film on all windows and
sliders, ceiling fans, all appliances
included including washer dryer.
Newer AC.All furnishings negotiable.
MLS# D5789127 Price: $120.000

2 BEDROOM, 2 BATHROOM
VILLA located in Plantation Golf &
Country Club. Home has built in
desk and private lanai. Tons of
amenities at your fingertips.
MLS# D5789903 Price: $120,000

OUTSTAND WATER LOT, on
March Waterway. New Homes in
the area and within minutes of
beaches, golfing, shopping or
fishing. MLS# D5790065
Price: $23,500

U U I

Tuesday, Jan 1,2013 Page 5 .Welcome Home

id WinA
e ..........** ) jT W -ir

Real Estate
manaaement

North Port Estates/$289,000
This 3 bedroom home has just been remodeled, all the work is
[one for you. Large kitchen with granite counter tops, stainless
steel appliances and new wood laminate floors on 3 acres.

runta (iorda/$l5U,UUU
Come see this delightful 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in Punta Gorda.
I ,, I I n I.. I .. .. h ,a I .11 I 1 .
MLS#C7039421

Cape Coral/$169,900
SHORT SALE: 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage pool home in need of some
tender loving care. Please take note that the pool is covered and the home is
in die need of cleaning. Buyer is also responsible for all assessments.

North Port/$139,000

MLS#C7038029

Port Charlotte/$99,900 Port Charlotte/$89,999
SHORT SALE: 3 Bedroom, 2.5 bath, end unit condo with This 3 bedroom, 3 bath home is larger than it appears.
2 balconies. Located across the street from Charlotte Offering 1,808 s.f One owner home is freshly painted on the
Harbor. Offering I *"1 i 1. .... I ..1 .... .""' outside with plenty of space for a pool in the backyard.
MLSnCO'7T38256 MLS#C7033771

Punta Gorda/$69,500
Prime multi-family lots or large parcel for an estate
type home. Docks and lifts permitted on a large dead-
end boat basis. 2 lots sold together as 1.
MLS#C7006947

Port Charlotte/$185,000
SHORT SALE: 3/2/2 pool home on canal with gulf
access. Concrete seawall and caged pool with paver
deck in move-in condition.

North Port/$157,200
SHORT SALE: 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage, pool.
Home built by Windemere in convenient North Port
location. Listed price based on VA appraisal.
MLS#C7034448

Cape Coral/$115,000
Short Sale: 2 story, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath with a 2 car
attached garage. Home features a nursery/office off
from the master bedroom along with a loft area.

vemnce/az,ouu
Short Sale: 2 bedroom, 2 bath pool home in South
Venice. A one car attached garage with just over 1000
s.f. of living space. In need of TLC.

Placida/$73,900
Beautiful Palm Island Interior Lot on a Cul-de-sac. 1 block from
the ocean. This very private island is accessed by car ferry,
water taxi or private boat only Invest before it is too late.
MLS#C7036229

BANK OWNED SARASOTA $120,000
1.14 Acres of industrial property. 130x364' on
Whitfield Ave. Great Location off US301 for easy
in and out. Bankwants it sold, make offer.
Phillip DeFreest 941-539-8061

Mixed use building. Commercial on ground floor &
2 one Br/Apts. On second floor. Can be used for
anything from light industrial on ground floor.
Make offer. Phillip DeFreest 941-539-8061

Tuesday, Jan 1,2013 Page 7 .Welcome Home

GARDENS OF GULF
COVE, this deed
restricted community is
one of our hidden
3BD12BA inside & out
w/upgrades throughout
Adorable landscaping,
very short walk to
recreation center, pool,
tennis, shuffleboard,
fitness room Meticulous
attention to detail makes
this home boast with
pride of ownership
$104,900

DUCK KEY A gulf
access 3BD/2BA
waterfront gem in a much
sought after deed
restricted island
subdivision Launch your
boat from your private
dock with only the large
El Jobean bridge between
you and the open water
Granite countertops,
stainless steel appliances,
impressive eat-in kitchen
bar and stylish cabinetry,
archways, insets, screened
lanai, high-grade flooring
and more $245,900

4BD/2BA/3CG CORNER LOT BY A
CUL-DE-SAC.
Spacious and open! Luxurious master bath
has soaking tub, walk-in shower and double
sinks. Plenty of room for entertaining or a
large family. Located in the heart of North
Port. close to famous area beaches, Shopping
and entertainment. $189,500

EXQUISITE AND SPECTACULAR describe this 3/2.5/2CG
Pool home with sparkling views of lake and golf course.
Designer touches throughout. Kitchen even has a wine
cooler. Executive office with built in desk & Murphy beds.
Paver lanai & pool area. Hurricane film on all windows.
Impossible to build today for $484,900

ONE OF A KIND3-bedroom, 21/2 bath pool home in Waterford Golf&
Country Club. Efficient style plus inviting warmth in the large
completely upgraded kitchen. Large open Great room with built in
entertainment centeroverlooks Pool & Golf Course. Spacious master
suite with his and her closets. The list goes on! Call today. $319,900

I THE GREEN I VILLA at Pelican Pointe Golf and Country. This 2BD/2BA/2CG
maintenance free villa w/private preserve view and a great room plan.
Breakfast nook in kitchen. Tilefloorswith carpet in bedrooms. Original patio
has been glass enclosed giving extra air conditioned space with an added
lanai to enjoy the Florida sunshine! Almost turnkey furnished. $179,900
IRkItML "t ,et

overlooking lake and golt course with a
sunny Southern exposure from this 2BD/
2BA a great room floor plan. Tile in main
areas with laminate in bedrooms. Neutral
decor. Nice kitchen space with breakfast

those looking to downsize or part time
residents. Open great room floor plan.
Large kitchen w/plenty of cabinets. Great
lanai space & private pool area with
preserve view. 3rd bedroom has pocket
doors and can be used as denoffice space.
Master bedroom with sliders out to pool.
Master bath has dual sinks & separate tub
andshower. $279,900
Jennifer Magoon 941.928.8211

SOUTH VENICE LOT IN CITY OF VENICE WITH POOL
81) > 100 lot Backyard has sought 3 bed 2 balh with priac'y fenced in
atler Soutrhern E posure Lol had Caged Pool Thiis i one ol the best
been :clered already deals With a POOL in the city limiiI
Re-Priced to SELL : S 12.500 Just minutes to BEACH: $179,900

situated on a private cuil-ve-sac
overlooking the 5th fairway of Calusa
Lakes. Large great room w/fireplace, and
huge master suite w/fireplace. Kitchen has
been totally updated with state of the art
appliances and cabinetry. Large lanai w/
pool and spa, 2 1/2 car garage. $475,000

airy, well designed and immaculate Home features 2 Charming 3BD/2BA + office Popular great room plan
bedrooms, plus office wth fireplace that can be used w/12 ft ceiling in all main rooms Kitchen has granite
as a 3rd bedroom Volume ceilings throughout wsth counters raised panel cabinets, top of the line
plant shelves, all rooms are tile except bedrooms appliances All tile except master bedroom and 1
kitchen and separate breakfast room open to the great guest room, large lanai with heated pool, side load 2
room Master suite has 2 walk-in closets and master 1/2 car garage This exceptional home features
bath features 2 sinks and walk-in shower Enjoy the gazebo, ponds and water fall Included in the sale
serenity of the tiled screened lanai that overlooks a price are the lawn equipment, riding mower and large
lush private backyard $243,000 shed $399,500

PRICED TO MOVE! VACANT LAND
Maintenance free Bright and open, large 1 94 Acre, area of huge and newer hor
2 BR/2BA/2CG home with high ceilings next to cul-de-sac in a secluded
Big screen patio for BBQ subdivision without deed restriction, y
Short distance to community pool minute to the Mall, restaurant & hospit
$194,900 Buy it and BUILD your DREAM HOX
NOWI $24,900
Looking for HUD Homes? Kwee can Help!
Call 941-716-3090

4/2 City water/sewer
1st last & security
$1,300 per month

es,
et
al
/IE

SHORT SALE! SOLD "as is"
DIRECT GULF ACCESS
2BR/1BA/1CG home with city water &
view overlooking water from all rooms.
Concrete seawall w/boat dock & slip.
Boat ride 10-15 minutes to Gulf of
Mexico $140.000

OLD ENGLEWOOD CHARMER This home is in
move in condition with fresh paint and new
appliances right in the middle of town and just
minutes to the beach.
-ll QAl4 A7A rOEr t7) ann

BOCA ROYALE VILLA Spotless split plan 2/2
with updated kitchen, AC and newer tile roof.
Fresh paint inside and out, shows like a new
home! Country Club living at affordable price.
' I all QA.lAT7dA.-EE

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH Located on
double lot just blocks from Lemon Bay.
3rab your tool belt and make us an offer.
*'.11 CAmn hnrrin fi; QdA I _ACQ_9 ftC7 9nn

MILDFLOWER This 3/2 home has open living
oom with vaulted ceilings and enclosed Florida
oom has own AC unit. This is the perfect Florida
iome for part or full time homeowners.
'11a .Illhl, trannr)QA1-Q1 _.-177 tQ 11Q nnn

ROTUNDA SANDS 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car NORTH PORT 2/2 HOME This 1996 built
garage home, built in 2007 2,048 sq ft +/- under home features a 2 car garage and is on 2 lots
air Open floor plan Great location close to Port Refrigerator, stove, window treatments,
Charlotte and the gulf beaches Listed at $185,000. mature landscape Short Sale Listing MLS
MLS C7039407 Call Shirley Bear to view this C7036367 Call Shirley Bear to view this
lovely home 941-629-1121 or 941-380-1888 home at 941-629-1121 or 941-380-1888
F

TWO CAR DETACHED GARAGE/WORKSHOP. Also air conditioned and
sound proofed! Must see, spacious home. Tile and wood laminate
throughout. Water system, Fridge, A/C, water heater, doors and windows
are all newer. Also has an air conditioned and sound proofed workshop/2
car detached garage. Oversized lot. Extra parking and power for RV or
boat. $145,000 Call Buck 941-685-3600

NOTHINGTO DO BUT MOVE IN. This pool home in prestigious
Englewood Isles has been well cared for and updated. Corner lot,
Ceramic Tile floors throughout. Carpetin the bedrooms, Crown
Molding. Updated kitchen cabinets, a pass through window
overlooking the pool and a breakfast bar opening up to the family
room. Spacious family room w/vaulted ceilings. $169,900

...- _.... -.- .-

PAUL "BUCK"
SETTLES JR
SELLING REAL Ia
ESTATE
1989-PRESENTgj

MT *U

PERFECT BEACH RETREAT. 2 bedroom 2 bath condo on the
Island of Venice. Less than a block to the beach access. Slight
beach and Gulf view from this unit. Well Maintained. Kitchen
has been upgraded. Fully Furnished $179,900
Call Buck 941-685-3600

COME AND GETYOUR PIECE OF PARADISE. 5 minutes to the
beach and beautiful sunsets, restaurants and shopping across
the street. This home is in very good condition. Over 55
community, low monthly fees, very friendly park.
$39,900 Call Buck 941-685-3600

VERYWELL MAINTAINED HOME. Current tenant has lease
until October 1st, 2013. New Roof in 2009. New A/C in 2008.
New wood laminate flooring installed in 2011 along with a new
microwave and disposal. Home was re-plumbed in 2008 and
completely remodeled bathrooms in 2009. $119,900.

OLIII'. UUIl..ll.u I I.- Pal ulally IcaICU. uau-3 up Iu
county property then Alligator Creek. Enjoy the space and
not have to pay the tax! $14,900 ENGLEWOOD BUILDING
SITE- Great location and cleared just
$15,000 Call Buck 941-685-3600

Punta Gorda Isles
Fantastic water view of beautiful Charlotte
Harbor from this spacious 3 bedroom, 2 bath,
end unit condo Well maintained and is in
move in condition Condo has under building
parking & includes a storage unitl Amemnties
include a heated pool, tens courts, barbecue
gnll & a clubhouse
MLS# C7036637 $287,000

Port Charlotte Home
Rarely available Impeccable furnshed 3
bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage carnage home
located in the popular .t- community of
Hentage Oak Park i. very light &
i,-t meticulously maintainedll Great
i 11 .. w/numerous upgrades Short walk
to the community clubhouse/pool
MS# C7030219 $184,900

Beautiful Oaks III Condo Ground floor unt
located in a pnvate location backing up to the
outer canal, yet just a short walk to the club-
house/pool Condo has 2 bedrooms, 2 full
baths and is in truly move in condition with
numerous upgrades just completed within the
last 2 years
MLS#C7035030 $69,900

Port Charlotte Villa! Port Charlotte Villa!
Beautiful well maintained "A" villa located on one Wonderful greenbelt view from this lovely "A" villa
of the incest streets m Hentage Oak Parkl located in the popular gated community of Heritage
Ovelsized treed comer lot on a short cul-de-sac Oak Parkl Villa has 2 bedrooms 2 baths, bonus room/
street, so httle traffic & very pnvatell Villa has 2 third bedroom & a 2 ca. :*,:-' Super clean &
fullbedrooms, 2 1 .1 ..... I .... . loaded :,i ..icl .I. I in main areas,
large 2 car garage i i .. ... 1 I .1 I I Iluxe

IP I
Port Charlotte Condo
.. ..i & lake view from this sec-
i I I I i. om, 2 bath end unit condo'
Very well maintained & has a very hght &
bnght open floorplan w/spht bedrooms & eat
in kitchen! Move in condition w/lots of
upgrades Buildng has an elevator and
detached carport is included
MLS# C7037080 $119,900

r ---W-%"_. -..
Port Charlotte Condo
Move nght into this fully furnished 1st floor 2
bedroom, 2 bath condo located m the popular
gated 55+ community Oak Forrestl Condo is in
move m condition & has been well manm-
tainedl Great location within community with
just a short walk to 2 of the 3 heated pools &
clubhouse
MLS#C7036959 $57,000

iviAImn I nAinU r LJsI Awesome nome mi gaeci gol
and tennis community SELLER has updated, upgraded to
compete with new homes Handsome wood cabinets &
granite in Kitchen compliment the volume cellmgs& terra
cotta floors Living rm w/ beautiful wood floors has wall of
new shelving for books and art There are 3 BRs, THREE
BTs Home is filled with upgrades for life's leisure and
pleasures Whole house hurricane shutters $244,900

IN THE CENTER OF VENICE. Walk to
everything downtown; banks, churches, restaurants,
shopping, beaches, schools, EVERYTHING.
Historic building with this 2 bedroom, 2 bath
furnished condo. Lots of updating going on here.
Community clubhouse with full kitchen and pool.
$129,900

DOWNTOWN DELIGHT You can't be any DON'T MISS THIS ONE Beautiful lakefront
closer to everything thanhere All I ............. .....
activity s around you and you can walk to and te s commute Very open and bght wit
banks, churches, tens, shops, eating facilities, , ,, ,... ... ..... ,,.
and even BEACHES There are 2 fully in a special place, Venice, Flonda Great working
furmshed bedrooms with walk-in closets, 2 kit, lots of cabinets and storage space Panoramnu
baths, updated kitchen, paint $127,500 lake view from weathenzed lanai Community
pool with heath club $184.900

Flexible open floor plan on superb preserve view lot with the entire back yard
enclosed wlprivacy fencing. Very private screened lanai with pool & hot tub is
perfectly designed for entertaining. This spacious house features an exquisite
kitchen w/granite counters, upgraded wood cabinets, quality appliances,
window treatments, paddle fans, lighting fixtures, archways, volume ceilings
& tile floors throughout the main living area. Den could possibly be 4th bedroom.
Master bath has garden tub, walk-in shower & double vanity. This beautiful home
is located in the popular neighborhood of Ventura Village, a terrific gated
community w/low HOA feeslocated only 2 miles from Manasota Beach. $324.90C

ig M
0 3m

Scan the QR code
with your smart phone
for a video tour of
either home

mplexwith elevator&fe sprinkler WHAT AN OPPORTUNITYto purchase a home in
com Sorrento Shores at this price. Just under 1/2 acre lot.
Spectacular Gulf Front Views! Just stepsto beach, pool Plenty room for a pool oradd ontothis existing 2Br, 2Bt
andtenniscourts.MacarthurBeachislocatedinaquiet eon room frp aanddsontehis eist e 2
and tennis courts. Macarthur Beach is located in a quiet home with laundry area and screened lanai in the back.
residential area on the Island ofVenice. You areso close tothewateryou canfeel the breeze!
$449,900#N5772388. 174,900 #N5776587.
Call Lauren Meadows 223-0372. r2. i .. .. n-- -.1a,,